Hammer To The Heart
by Tsuki Doriimaa
Summary: ::scratches head:: Ummm... summary... right... well... Usa runs into someone... and uhhh... is really struck with them... I suck at summarys ::bows:: Forgive me, it's good though ^_^ ~Completed~
1. Chapter 1: The First Meeting

Hammer To The Heart  
By: Anime Redneck  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
It was another normal day on Colony L1 in Tsukino Usagi's life... get up late, yell at her mother for not waking her up on time, forget her lunch on her mad dash out to school; run back get it and run off to school again on turbo boost. The only difference in this morning run was that half way there, rounding a corner she ran full force into something or someone, let's take a look.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
"Luna!" Usagi yelled at her running partner, her cat. "Why didn't you wake me up on time!? I'm SOOO late now and Mrs. H is gonna kill me!" whined Usagi as she ran.  
  
"Well Usagi if you didn't sleep so soundly and wouldn't *bat* me across the room when I tried waking you, you'd have heard me the first three times!" Luna yell back, Usagi sweat dropped.  
  
"Oh, gomen ne Luna but-" she was cut off by slamming full force into something or someone... sending them both to the ground. "Oh gomen nasai!" Serena started to apologize picking up her books and the ones the other person dropped. "I was late and I didn't see you ther-" she stopped her apologizing and stared at the man who the knocked to the ground on her turbo run to school. Her heart started to speed up, face started to go a little red and she was suddenly at a lost for words. 'Oh my' was all she could think of.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Boom Boom Boom  
Like a hammer to the heart  
Just one look at you baby I was blown apart  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
He was tall, dark, mysterious and handsome. 'What a hunk!' Usagi thought, 'Just like in all the romance books!' He had dark unruly brown hair that was a little spiky. Prussian blue eyes that stared at her unemotionally, he was wearing a green tank top tucked into a pair of blue jeans, wearing a blue jean jacket and sneakers.   
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to run into you or knock you over, sorry!" Usagi told him bowing once then putting her books back in her bag and handing him his. "I'm Usagi, Tsukino, Usagi." She bowed again. "I'm really sorry for running into you! Gomen nasai! I was just in a rush and I'm late... OHHHH Mrs. H is gonna KILL ME! Sorry! Ja ne!" she yelled running off with Luna on her tail.  
  
"Hn." Heero grunted watching her run off down the sidewalk. 'Strange girl.' He thought before making his way to school.  
  
~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  
She made it to school just before the bell rang which was her first surprise the second one was noticing that she made it there without tripping or slamming into anyone else the whole way, surprising because she was thinking of the handsome man the ran into a few minutes ago. 'He was cute but why did my heart speed up and my face become red?' she wondered as she walked into the class after saying 'Good morning Mrs. H' she took her seat and Mrs. H promptly took leave from consciousness and half the class stared in shock that Tsukino Usagi was in school and on time the first time this year, and it was already mid year!  
  
But Usagi took no notice of any of it; she just sat down in a sort of daze, still thinking about whom she ran into. She knew she hadn't seen him before. 'Defiantly not! I'd remember a face like that!' she smiled 'what a cute face it was! He looked like he'd had a hard life though', his eye showed nothing... 'He's probably a few years older then me anyhow...' she frowned, 'but boy is he cute!' she thought smiling again...  
  
About twenty minutes after she sat down Mrs. H woke up with the help of a few students, once up she walked over to Usagi and pinched her, knocking Usagi outta her thinking. "OUCH!" Usagi yelped out. "What'd you do that for Mrs. H!?" she questioned her teacher.  
  
"I'm... gomen nasai Usagi... I just had to make sure I wasn't seeing things." Mrs. H replied. "I... I can't believe your here and on time Usagi... this is defiantly something to celebrate!" she exclaimed and walked up to the front of the class. "Class, let me have your attention please." she waited 'til the class was paying attention to her. "In honor of Mrs. Tsukino's on time attendance today, I'm going to let ya'll out an hour early!" she beamed. 'And I've also got a date to get ready for tonight!' Mrs. H thought happily. The kids in the class all started cheering and thanking Usagi for being on time, each hopping that every time she was on time that they could get out early.  
  
And so the day went as usual, 'cept for the fact that Usagi paid attention in class, probably due to wanting to get out early also. Maybe if she paid attention it'd make the day go faster. At Lunch she met up with her friends Kino, Matako. Minzino, Ami and Aino, Minako.   
  
Minako was her look alike twin, except that she wore her hair down with a red bow in it and her eye's were a shade lighter then Usagi's. Minako could also be as much a space case as Usagi but was more prone to doing her schoolwork, unlike Usagi.  
  
Matako was the tallest out of them all and good at two things, 1. Cooking! Which Usagi couldn't get enough of! And 2. The Martial Arts, Matako was one person you didn't want to get ticked off, 'cause you'd be on the ground before you knew what had happened.  
  
Ami was the quiet one and the brainaic of the group and the genius of the school, she was also very good at swimming.  
  
There was another person to their little group that didn't go to her school and her name was Hino Rei. She and Usagi always got into tongue fights over the little things and didn't seem like they were good friends at all, but on the contrary. They were best friends and as close as sisters, for that's what the considered themselves when they weren't fighting over something like Usagi reading Rei's comics.  
  
"So Usagi is it true?" Asked Mina. "Wha-huh? Is what true?" was Usagi's confused reply.  
  
"That you came to school early and 'cause of that your class is getting out an hour early! That's what!" Exclaimed Matako, who was in her class, as well as Ami.  
  
"OH! Yeah that's true! Don't know how I did it though." Usagi said shaking her head.  
  
"What do you mean 'don't know how I did it'?" Ami asked confused and noticed that the other two had the same look.  
  
"Well..." Usagi began "On my run to school I ran into this guy rounding a corner and knocked both of us over." that caused everyone listening to moan either in sympathy for the guy or for Usagi's clumsiness.  
  
"Oh Usagi!" they all yelled. "What? He was cute though!" Usagi told em.  
  
"Okay spill!" Mina and Makoto asked in unison, Ami just shook her head and smiled at her guy crazy friends.  
  
"Y'all should put that much enthusiasm into your school work." she told them.  
  
"Oh Ami!" Usagi told them about everything that happened that morning and about the guy, then the bell rang and they said they'd meet her at the Cherry Hill temple for their Scout meeting. 'Drat I forgot about that... guess I can't stop at the arcade after school...' she thought sadly before remembering that they got out an hour early. She jumped up thrusting her fist in the air yelling "YEESSSSS!!!!" before quickly heading to class with people staring at her, wondering what her problem was. ^_^  
  
~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  
End of the day came and Usagi headed to the arcade and played the new Sailor V game that Andrew told her they got.  
  
"Hey Motoki-oniisan!" Usagi called on her way over to the counter...  
  
"Hiya Usagi, what's up?"  
  
"Oh nothing much, what about with you?" she asked.  
  
"Nada, just business as usual. Hey why are you outta school early?" He asked looking at her quizzically.  
  
"Oh well I got to school today on time..." she started laughing, "walked in class told Mrs. H good morning and she f-fainted!" she stopped laughing.  
  
Motoki started laughing too, "So why are you out early?" he asked between laughs.  
  
"Oh well Mrs. H said that 'In honor of Mrs. Tsukino's on time attendance, class will be let out an hour early today!'" Usagi said impersonating Mrs. H. Andrew laughed harder at her impression.  
  
"That's great Usagi! So you go up early then?" he asked a whirly.  
  
"Nope." He looked at her. "Actually got up late and was on my 'morning jog' as Rei calls it. And I was rounding a corner and slammed into this guy! Making us both fall on the ground, I picked up his books told him I was really sorry and ran the rest of the way to school and managed to beat the bell by maybe a minute." Usagi finished all in one breath smiling. Motoki was staring at her in awe.  
  
'How can she talk that long without breathing?' he wondered. "So you ran into a guy huh?"  
  
"Yup! Sure did, he had dark unruly brown hair that was a little spiky. Prussian blue eyes, he was wearing a green tank top tucked into a pair of blue jeans, wearing a blue jean jacket and sneakers." she informed him. "His eyes though..." Usagi looked deep in thought, "They were... empty like... but deep inside I could tell... could see, the loneliness, hurt, the coldness..." she shook her head, trying to clear it.  
  
Motoki sighed shaking his head slightly, staring at her. He'd never heard her like this before, she wasn't the bubbly happy go lucky girl he knew so well... now... she was acting like a young woman, and thinking like one to he noted. He smiled sadly at her knowing whom she ran into. "Usagi-chan."  
  
She looked up. "Hmm Oniisan?" she looked at him quizzically.  
  
"I know who you ran into." She raised her eyebrow looking at him, silently telling him to tell her. "His name is Heero Yuy. He doesn't come in here a lot, but I watch him pass by every now and then. Almost like... he wants to come in, but something holds him back."  
  
Usagi just stared at him. 'Hmmm, maybe I can remedy that problem.' She mentally smiled but on the outside she was frowning slightly. "Oniisan... do you know anything about him?" she asked uncertainly.  
  
Motoki looked in thought a moment before looking back at her. "Well he's the quiet type... had a hard life? Hai, he has, I don't know what for sure, but, you can tell by looking at him he has. His family is dead. Killed... no one knows when..."  
  
"Ohhh..." Usagi said looking in thought. "Domo arigatou Motoki -oniisan... see ya!"  
  
~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  
Usagi ran all the way to Rei's not running into anyone, jumping over obstacles. Basically flying through the streets, she wanted to get there, get the meeting over with and head out to find Heero. One way or another she was going to get him to have some fun. 'He acted like he wanted to go into the Arcade, so he'll go into the arcade.' She thought smiling as she ran.  
  
Across the street someone was watching Usagi as she ran down the sidewalks, jumping, sidestepping and ducking things. 'Too much energy, that one.' The figure thought watching as she almost fell from ducking under two people moving a small wooden pillar. She ducked a little low and was about to fall when she steadied herself with her left hand on the concrete breathing a moment before taking off again. He smirked, 'she's a quick one.'  
  
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *  
  
Disclaimer: ::glares at lawers:: I don't own anything but meh truck  
and ya canna 'ave it! SO back off! The song "Hammer To The Heart"  
totally belongs to someone else, I'm just barrowing it. 


	2. Chapter 2: Arcade's Trade

Hammer To The Heart  
Chapter 2  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Boom Boom Boom  
Yeah I knew right from the start,  
This was something new, oh baby!  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Oi Minna-chan!!" she yelled once she ran into the room and plopped down on a pillow at the table, resting her head on her folded arms trying to catch her breath. "Rei-chan... too... many... steps..." she breathed giving everyone a goofy grin. "Soo... how is everyone?" she asked everyone.  
  
Rei looked at her. "Your... late..."  
  
She shrugged, "By two minutes pyro." She grinned. "So, what's up? What's goin' on, when we startin' this thang!?" she finished laughing at their faces. "Aww come on guys! Stop looking like that!"  
  
"Usa-chan, are you feeling alright? You uhh..." she seemed unsure of how to say it, "You seem, more giddy and rushed today..." Minako asked.  
  
"Hai Minna, I'm fine thanks. But are we gonna start this or not? Please, I've got places to go and homework to do..." she thought about her words, "And don't say anything about me not doing it before. I'm on a mission." She smirked her eyes holding a mischief twinkle to them.  
  
"Uh-huh... right... And I'm a Gundam pilot. Come on Usa-chan spill it, we're not doing anything 'til you tell us what's up." Matako told her grinning.  
  
"Hai Usa-him, please tell us." Came Ami's quiet voice.  
  
Usagi sighed. "Fine, fine... y'all win." She took a breath, "On my way to school, I ran into this hunky guy..." she trailed off her eyes taking on a glassy look as she remembered him. "He had-" she stopped looking behind the others at Rei's post board.  
  
Rei waved a hand in front of her face. "Usa... Usa-chan..." she sighed. "ODANGO ATAMA! Snap outta it! What did he have??" Rei asked fed up with the Odango Atama One's spacing out.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Saw you in a picture,  
That hung on the wall,  
My sister told that you are the one.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Usagi's heart rate started to speed up a bit just looking at the picture, it wasn't even *him* him and she reacted this way towards a picture. Her eyes started to take on a more spaced out look with a sparkle in them, her face turning a slight blush. 'Wow, whatta hunk.' she thought not trusting her voice at the moment she just pointed behind her.  
  
"What? What is it Usa-chan?" Makoto asked. "The picture?" Usagi nodded. "Rei-chan, who is that?"  
  
Rei looked behind her and sighed. "Heero Yuy, ex-Gundam Pilot of Wing Zero, and his friends, or rather his other pilots. Duo Maxwell, Quatre R. Winner, Trowa Barton and Chang Wufei." Rei informed them all. "Which one are you talking about Usa-chan?"  
  
Usagi shook her head looking at the pic still. "Th... that one... Heero..."  
  
Rei raised her eyebrow at that. "What about him?"  
  
"I... I saw him... he's the one I ran into today... wearing a green tank top tucked into a pair of blue jeans, a blue jean jacket and sneakers. His Prussian blue eyes, stared into mine and... I was lost... his unruly dark brown hair was spiky like that, but looked so smooth, like it would be soft to the touch..." She murmured staring at the picture, shaking her head again she apologized.  
  
"Sorry Minna-chan... I didn't mean to space out like that. Umm..." she looked around, "I'm gonna head home now, and umm, think about some things... Luna can help with my homework. Ja ne!" and with that she headed outta the Temple heading for home. Once there she changed into a different more comfortable outfit and headed out to find Heero Yuy. "Heero Yuy" she let the name roll off her tongue... she liked the sound of it.  
  
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  
Heero was walking down a path in Juuban Park when a gold blur ran past him, stopped, looked, and ran back to him. He was curious and almost... almost... shocked that it was him she ran to, but he hid in under his mask.  
  
Usagi had spotted Heero walking in the park after she flew past him; she stopped, looked again, smiled and ran towards him stopping this time in front of him. "Ossu! Hi we met earlier... well kinda. My names Tsukino Usagi." She stuck out her hand, which he didn't take. She frowned slightly then smiled brightly. "Ooookay. So what's your name?"  
  
"Hn."  
  
"Well Mr. Hn. It's nice to meetcha! So what's your real name?" she persisted smiling the while.  
  
He would have sighed if he weren't the Perfect Solider. So instead he grunted and stated, "Heero Yuy" in his monotone.  
  
"Cool! Nice to meetcha Heero-san!" she bowed then stood up, her eyes shinning. "Hey wanna go to the arcade? I know Motoki -oniisan would like to meet you!" he frowned, "Well, okay, you don't have to meet him, but come on lets go play a game! What doya say?" she gave him her puppy eyes. 'Come on you gotta go! You need some fun in your life Heero... a lonely life like you've led.' She thought watching him.   
  
He stared at her, studying her. 'My glares don't work. Being cold doesn't work, why won't she leave me alone!' fumed the solider side of him. 'But her eyes sparkle with life, happiness and warmth... yet held a sadness, a loneliness as mine do... Why would someone such as she be lonely... she's cute... really cute...' the other humanity part of him said smiling mentally. He shrugged his shoulders, "Hnnn."  
  
"REALLY!?" she asked grabbing his arm, hugging it tightly, but not tight enough to hurt him.  
  
Heero wanted to rip his arm out of her grip that was his first instinct; but for some reason he couldn't, so he let her be and nodded. "Hai."  
  
'Wow, he agreed!' she mentally cheered. She smiled brightly up at him. "Alright lets go!" She cheered grabbing him by his hand and practically dragging him to the arcade, 'cept for the undeliverable fact that Heero was able to keep up with Usagi's running. He acted like he was ignoring what all she had to say as they went keeping his face emotionless but secretly he was listening to ever word of it. Like he did with most people, just absorbing the parts he wanted to hear and brushing the others off. But for some reason, most of the babble that this girl, Usagi, was talking about entered his ears and stayed in his head... even if it was just nonsense to him and didn't concern him. This totally confused the Perfect Soldier.  
  
"Here we are!" Usagi announced ten minutes and non-stop babble later. She had been talking about her friends, how much fun they had, the fights her and Rei would get into and most of all Motoki -oniisan's arcade. Telling him of all the fun games they had there. "Fighting, driving, spooky ones and funny one! Oh you've gotta try 'em! Hey! I'll race you on a driving one whatcha think!?" she looked towards him eyes shinning with hope. She didn't want him to leave. Not if what Motoki -oniisan said was true about him, then she wanted him to know what it was like playing in the arcade and what he was missing out on.   
  
He looked around at all the games and happy faces in the room and was starting to second-guess his decision to let her drag him here... literally. He looked back at her and slowly nodded his head. "Uhh, sure..." he went to looking back around again before he was bright back to looking at Usagi when she tugged his hand to get him to follow her.  
  
"Well come on, it's over here..." they walked over to a large racing game that four people could race at the same time. No one was at it now. "Here ya go. You sit here" she gave him her version of a glare that came no where close to his, "Don't, go anywhere 'kay? It's my treat, I'm gonna go get some change. Be right back!" she gave a small wave and a smile before going for the change.  
  
Heero thought her 'glare' was quite funny but didn't show it. It made her face scrunch up and her eyes go more slanted, it was just cute, he wouldn't go anywhere, the thought of a challenge made him stay. So he waited for her return.  
  
She returned and they started playing the game and kept playing 'til Usagi won once; she won on the 5th time playing. "You let me win, didn't you?" she had asked looking at him questioningly, studying his face and eyes trying to see if he really did. She couldn't tell though, so she drug him to another game, and another and another. 'Til they had been playing in the arcade for about three hours.  
  
Usagi was starting to get thirsty and picked a booth to sit in, Heero followed suit sitting across from him with something akin to a smile on his face. It was a cross between the corners of his mouth pulling and a smirk, almost borderline on becoming a full-fledged smile. But it wasn't that easy, ohh no... this is the Perfect Soldier we're talkin' about here, Usagi didn't know his nickname, she only knew his name and what they've all known about the Gundam Pilots since the war ended two years ago.  
  
AC199 was a time of peace, and it made Usagi sad to know that Heero and the other pilots hadn't had any... 'And this one...' she thought looking at him, 'this one hasn't had any type of fun before in his life... he's been so lonely, isolated from others...' she smiled, 'Today was his first time to have fun maybe! And I did it!' she was smiling on the outside as well, and Heero noticed it and acknowledged it by raising an eyebrow.  
  
"What?" Usagi asked him noticing his raised eyebrow.  
  
Heero just kept looking at her, before shaking his head slightly. "What are you smiling at?" he asked carefully, as if afraid to know.  
  
"Hmm, oh... nothing much, just thinking that's all." Her smile seemed to brighten more. "Hey, so you ready to get something to eat and drink!? I'm starved!" as if to prove her point her stomach chose that time to growl loudly causing her to blush lightly.  
  
Heero stared at her a minute before a deep chuckling sound arose from him, causing Usagi to raise a golden brow in wonder at him. "You're too much Bunny..." he let himself smile for the first time in his life that he could ever remember. "This time it's my treat order what you like. I'll pay for it."  
  
Usagi stared at him shocked. This was supposed to be *her* treating him, not *him* treating her, but here he is, offering her whatever she wanted. 'Wow... not what I expected from him...' she thought before nodding vigorously. "Hai... okies, Heero-kun!" she said before picking up the menu and studying it, even though she didn't have to, she knew it by heart, but she didn't want to let him know that.  
  
Heero was once again shocked for the second time that day at the name she'd just called him. He thought a minute then shook his head thinking about what he called her. It wasn't something he had been thinking on calling her, it was just... it felt natural to him to call her that. Bunny. It fit her after all, with that hair. He lightly chuckled again watching her before picking up his menu and reading over it.  
  
* ~ *  
-- 


	3. Chapter 3: Arcade's Trade con't

Hammer To The Heart  
Chapter 3  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
  
He had ordered a coke and salad then watched in awe as everything she ordered came and went in under ten minutes. She had ordered a coke, cherry shake, peanut butter sandwich, chips, and a double vanilla, chocolate with fudge split. 'She eats like Duo.' He thought in amazement as she finished up her split. "Umm... was it good?" he asked not really knowing what to say now.  
  
Usagi looked up smiling brightly and nodded fastly. "Oh hai very much so! Arigatou Heero-kun that was great!"  
  
He just nodded. "Your welcome" he stood up, she following his moves and both walked to the doors and towards the park where they originally came from. "I had a good time today Bunny, arigatou." He looked down at her, his eyes shining with something new... emotion.  
  
She looked up at him and could see the happiness and thanks in his eyes; he didn't have to tell her. She was good at reading people like that. It was a gift her mother had said. "Oi! You're welcome anytime! Wanna do that again tomorrow after school? You could meet me at the arcade and we'll play some different games!" she said cheerfully thinking of everything they could do together.  
  
She wanted to bring some happiness in his lonely life and today was a good start in her book, she even made him *smile* for Selene's sake! In all the pictures that people had been able to get of the Gundam Pilots, none ever had a smiling Heero in them, not that blowing up MS and MD's was anything to smile about, but bring about the peace was, and still he didn't smile. So yes, in her book this was a great step for him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
There was no attraction,  
But boy was I wrong,  
My favorite line from my favorite song,  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Heero looked down at her while she had turned and watched the ducks swim across the lake's reflective surface. Sure, he had had fun today, for the first time in his life, he had fun; and had smiled at that. He didn't know what was coming over him or what she was doing to him. She... to him she seemed to have the ability to spread her happiness and joy to everyone around her and it seemed that he wasn't immune to it. He could probably care less at the moment, watching her face that held joy of today's fun and joy of watching the ducks; such small things captured her and amazed her.  
  
He had noticed this as he watched her the whole time they were in the arcade, she had commented several times on little things of others and that she saw out the windows that he would have never given thought to before. And still wouldn't, but for the fact that she had pointed them out to him.  
  
Usagi looked back to him when he hadn't answered her after awhile. "Heero-kun, would you like to meet tomorrow and play some more? Come on... it'll be fun you know that! You'll like it, maybe we can go somewhere else too..." she got a thoughtful look in her eyes as she turned back to the lake.  
  
'Do I want to?' he thought, the question still remaining unanswered. He had fun, she was right there. But what about, if a war broke out again? It wasn't *not* possible that one wouldn't, she could be used a leverage against him if they ever found out about her. 'Stop it! Damn it, you've had enough war, stop thinking like that and just go!' his humanity shot back at the thinking of the Soldier part of him. Heero shook his head. 'I'm arguing with myself... Kami-sama I'm going nuts...' he thought. 'Nope your just human.' His humanity answered back.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
You and your persistence,  
Blew up my resistance,  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hai." He answered her after that little mental debate.  
  
She looked up at him. "Really!? You'll meet me? ARIGATOU HEERO!" she jumped up and hugged him tightly.  
  
Heero, not really knowing what to do, gently placed his arms around her, in a gentle hug, like he was worried of breaking her seemingly fragile frame or scaring her off, though she didn't seem one to be scared off by a simple hug... that he wasn't at all used to giving.  
  
Usagi smiled into his chest as she felt his arms gently wrap around her. She pulled back a minute later and smiled up at him. She knew why he was hesitant to do so.  
  
He looked down at her and gave a small smile of his own. "But I think the guys wanted to do something tomorrow. I'm not sure." He watched as her face saddened a bit. "You could some with us if you like. I'm sure that they wouldn't mind." He said trying to cheer her up. Her being down, just didn't suit her.  
  
"Yea, I would love to! I'm not doing anything... I'll have homework... but I can do that when I get home..." she thought a minute about something before looked back up. "Say Heero... you any good in school?" he nodded not really sure where this was going. "Would you... would you mind tutoring me then? I'm not really great at it..." she smiled goofily and laughed, "Okay, so I really suck at it. Do you think you could help me out? Everyone else tries and Okasan just yells at me 'cause I get bad grades... I can't do anything right, I even get to school late, ya know."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Boom Boom Boom,  
Like a hammer to the heart,  
Just one look at you and baby I was blown apart  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
He had to laugh, she sounded like Duo, ate like Duo and yet they were totally different. If she were like Duo he would have pulled his gun out and threatened her already, but he hadn't, this was a good thing. "Sure Bunny I can do that. I'll meet you at the school gates and we'll go back to Quatre's mansion to study before going out with the guys." he watched as her eyes shown with joy, then added. "Just a warning though, I have no clue where we're going. This is one of Duo's little adventures that he pulls us out on." Mumbling, "And I don't at all enjoy them."  
  
Usagi laughed. 'Perfect!' she thought looking at his 'not wanting to go' face. She took hold of his shirtsleeve. "Oh it'll be fun! I know it! I'll meet you at the gates after school then! I gotta get home and get Luna to help me with the homework I have for tonight... Boy, won't she be shocked that I'm asking for help." She wondered before hugging him more on habit then thinking of doing it. "I gotta go now. See ya tomorrow Heero-kun!! Ja ne!" she waved as she turned and quickly dashed off.   
  
"She's fast..." He commented watching her run home dodging and jumping outta the way of all things, living or not. Shaking his head at the bubbly blonde he turned and headed home.  
  
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  
He walked in the door and was immediately bombarded with questions from a braided brown haired boy about the same age. "So where ya been buddy!? Your late."  
  
He didn't answer him, he never did.   
  
"OH that's where you were huh? Well why couldn't I have come. Did you have fun? Did you see Relena?" At that question Heero stopped walking up the stairs and glared at the braided one. "Omae o korosu." that effectively made the braided boy give an "EEEPPP!" before turning tail and running the opposite direction then the one that of Heero.  
  
Up in his room home work being done, his mind kept lingering back to the blonde that had drug him around the arcade and park pointing out things that he would rarely have seen if he'd just been walking around himself. Like the little patch of roses on the path he usual took to school or the ducks on the pond and the large Oak tree that she had assured him was great to climb around in, as she'd done it many times herself and she told him, "The great thing about it is it's not in plain sight you've gotta walk through some brush to get to it you know, so no one knows it's really there or that you'd be in it... Me? I'm a explorer so I found it, you can go there if you want to." She smiled brightly and skipped off to show him more things.  
  
True the war had been over for going on three years now they hadn't had a mission in all that time, the Preventers had taken care of the flames that would start every now and then and put them out before they became full blown fires and a real problem.  
  
He was glad there wasn't war but he didn't know what to do with him self now that it was. Usagi, as happy and hyper as she was, might find something for him to do. "Why am I even thinking this?" he asked aloud. 'Cause it's true and she just might, you like her, admit it.' Came the voice of humanity. "I don't know... she's something else though." And with that he went back to his work. After it was done he had dinner with the others, shocking them by actually talking... a little. Anything from him was something to be shocked at, then a shower and to bed, thinking of what tomorrow would bring.  
  
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  
Usagi burst through the front door kicking off her shoes. "Okasan! I'm HOOOME!!" she yelled shaking the house with her sonic voice as she started for the kitchen where her mother was working on dinner.  
  
"Hello Usagi, and where have you been your late you know." Ikuko turned welding a spatula.  
  
Usagi eyed the spatula wirily. "Ummm... well you see-"  
  
"Don't give me that 'well you see' stuff Usagi, now where were you?" Ikuko asked thinking she was once again going to blame it on something else.  
  
"Naw mom I'm being serious!" she muttered "For once." Before going back to her happy normal voice. "I am really, see after school, I went to Rei's, then came home changed and went looking for someone, cause he needed a friend, at least I think so, and so once I found him I took him to the arcade and we played games for a while, and then he ordered us a snack, which I was gonna do since I was showing him around and stuff, but he did, and then we went walking in the park." She paused for breath looking at her mom who nodded for her to go on, lightly tapping the spatula on her arms that were crossed.  
  
"And while we were there we talked a little, well I mostly did the talking 'cause he's kinda quiet you know? And well I asked him if he wanted to meet me there again tomorrow and I'd show him around and stuff and then I asked him - Now don't freak out mom - I asked him if he was any good at school work 'cause you know... well you know that I... suck at it..." her mom nodded making Usagi pout a little, she didn't want her mom agreeing with her, but still she was right. "ANYHOW!!" she playfully glared at her mom causing her to smile kindly at her. "He nodded that he was and I asked him if he'd tutor me 'cause I sucked at it and you know what!?"  
  
"What?" Ikuko asked amazed at how fast her daughter could talk and how long without taking but one breath then continue.  
  
"He said YES!! And for me to meet him at the school gates for him then we'd go to his friends house to study before we all go out." Her mom gave her a confused 'What do you mean 'we'?' look.  
  
Usagi sighed, she didn't wanna explain all this she just wanted to go to her room, get Luna to help her with her homework, eat, shower and go to bed so she could go to school, actually TRY and pay attention then spend the day with Heero.  
  
"Yes, there's others, see he stays at his friends house with three other guys, kinda like rooming together, it's a big house from what Heero-kun says and they won't be home to distract us, which is good 'cause you KNOW I get distracted easily. So that's what we're gonna do, meet at the gates..." she was counting it on her fingers, "then go to their house, do homework, or well try to in my case, then after the others get home his friend, Duo, well he's one of them, is 'dragging' them somewhere, it's one of his 'surprises'. Heero-kun said that Duo does that to him and he doesn't really like it from what I can tell. Mama he's really quiet and doesn't really show any emotion, even Motoki -oniisan says that about him, he never does mom." She pouted a little.  
  
"Well darling, some people are just like that, and need something to brake them outta their shell. Some people just don't know how to show emotion and never had anyone to love them." Ikuko said smiling lovingly at her daughter that cared so much about others before herself.  
  
Usagi was stumped; she didn't know how that could be. "But mama, how could someone never be loved like that, isn't that bad? They can't really be kids out there like that could there? Why wouldn't their parents not love them huh?" she asked turning eyes of total confusion and innocence to her mother questioningly.  
  
Ikuko could of almost laughed or cried at that moment. 'She so full of love and hope... caring and kind, it's sad she doesn't know.' She thought before gesturing to the couch. "Darlin', some people don't have parents to love them, so they can't be loved, and can't know love. Some kids have parents that maybe as a child they weren't loved, so as parents they're not sure how to show love to their child.  
  
"It's hard to know really hun; it's sad but true that some don't know love. But maybe if what you say about this *Heero-kun*..." she said 'Heero-kun' just to watch her daughters reaction, which was her cheeks turning a nice shade of light pink, she chuckled quietly before going on, "Maybe if what you say is true on how he acts, that he wasn't loved as a child, maybe he doesn't know how to show emotions, and maybe, just maybe, you can teach him."  
  
Usagi smiled and nearly jumped off the couch. "OH MOM!! That reminds me!! GUESS WHAT!" she jumped off the couch and anxiously waited for her mom to ask 'what?'.  
  
Ikuko laughed. "What Usa?"  
  
"I GOT HIM TO LAUGH... a little... BUT HE DID!! And... and he SMILED! WOW! Can he smile... Maw, you have GOT to see his smile, it's like... wow..." Usagi smiled before pecking her mom on the cheek grabbing her forgotten backpack at the door before starting to run up the stairs. "HEY I'M GONNA DO MY HOMEWORK NOW!! CALL ME FOR DINNER 'KAY!??" was heard before the slamming of her bedroom door.  
  
"That girl..." Ikuko shook her head laughing softly to herself. "She'll never change... hmm wonder if she'll bring him over for dinner anytime soon? And doing homework for a change... Oh my..." she silently mused going back to cooking.  
  
"She's not dating 'til she's twenty-three." Kenji said from his spot at the table, having heard most of what was said, being focused on his paper he didn't really pay attention.  
  
"Oh you just hush Mr. 'got married when we were twenty-two'." She gave him a stern look only a mother could. "She can date whenever she wants to Kenji she's sixteen now, she's old enough to do so." She said turning around to finish up dinner.  
  
"She's not dating 'til she's twenty-five then..." Kenji muttered lowly but Ikuko's motherly hearing picked up on that and the next thing Kenji knew was that he was hit in the head with a UFKU. {1} "OOWWWWWWW!" he yelled rubbing his head and glaring at his giggling wife.  
  
And all was silent, 'til dinner and then as Usagi had planned, she showered and went to bed, laughing as she remembered how Luna almost fainted when she asked for help on her homework and was dead serious about it this time. Luna had started feeling for her temperature and telling her she needed to lie down.  
  
Usagi pouted getting upset and gave her paw a swat, grabbed her books and sat out on the balcony trying to, on her own, do the work. Wasn't easy, but she managed to get some done before dinner. And now, the sweet arms of sleep were pulling her in for the night, they were going to make sure she got lots of rest, got up on time and off to school on time. Well alright at least they'd make sure she got lots of sleep. "Night Luna..." she murmured falling fast into sleeps embrace.  
  
"Night Usagi-hime..." was the slightly mumbled English accented reply. As the moon and stars burned bright in the night's sky, the moons soft light shown into the room on the two sleeping forms.  
  
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  
1. UFKU = Unidentified Flying Kitchen Utensil. ::laughs:: ^__^  
  
--- 


	4. Chapter 4: School Surprises

Hammer To The Heart  
Chapter 4  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
  
That morning...  
  
"LUNA! LUNA!" Usagi ran around the room ten minutes before her mom would come in to get her. "Socks! Shoes! UGH! Where's my stupid BOW!" she had thrown on her uniform, all but for her bow, socks and shoes. The reason? She couldn't find them. "Luna! FIND THEM!" she yelled while looking under her bed.  
  
"Usagi…" Luna sighed shaking her head slightly getting up and padding over to the closet nudging her nose around in there for a minute or so came out pulling a pair of black shoes with a single strap across the foot of it. Dropping them half way to Usagi whom was still looking under the bed shoving around all the clutter; started making a spitting sound, the shoes weren't all that clean.  
  
"Pht! Usagi their right here you goofy girl!" she wasn't going to be mean about it, after all Usagi was up on time, even a little early, so she wasn't going to get on her case not after her having tried to do her home work which almost sent Luna into a faint when she found out she was truly serious about it.  
  
"Thanks Luna!" she happily cried finding and putting on her socks then her shoes, grabbing her school bag she ran downstairs sliding to a stop in her chair at the end of the table grinning at everyone. "Nani?" they were staring at her strangely.  
  
"Umm nothing dear. Pancakes?" Ikuko offered her a plate stacked high with pancakes, syrup and a little butter smiling warmly at her remembering their talk last night.  
  
"OH YEAH!" she snatched the plate from her mom grabbed a fork and stuffing her face, dropping the fork two minutes later she patted her tummy. "Ummm delicious! Thanks maw!"  
  
"Your welcome dear. Did you get any homework done?" she raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
Shingo laughed. "Ha! Her? Do homework? Who do you think she is Ami?" he clutched his stomach laughing.  
  
"Sammy…" her father said in a stern tone even with knowing Usagi didn't study or like to do homework… at all.  
  
"Aww but daaaddddd…" he whined.  
  
"No."  
  
Usagi grinned at him sticking out her tongue before she turned to her mother. "Hai I got some done, I'm not sure if it's all right-"  
  
"Ha! Doubt it." Shingo had to put in.  
  
"Shut up brat!" she turned back to her mother. "But I tried so we'll see. I gotta go now!" she jumped up kissing her mom and dad on their cheeks ruffling Shingo's hair she grabbed her school bag ran to the door where Luna was waiting, never slowing down she slipped on her shoes grabbed an umbrella at her mom's yelling and ran out the door with Luna close behind.  
  
"Usagi! You can slow down now you know!" Luna yelled getting tired of running.  
  
"Huh? Why Luna?" Usagi stopped looking down at her cat.  
  
She jumped into Usagi's arms staring at her. "Cause your on time." She muttered, "For once." At Usagi's glare she gave her a cat grin. "Well it's true and you know it."  
  
Usagi nodded not trying to get out of that one, after all it was an everyday thing for her. "Yeah, well you don't have to keep pointing it out. You watch one day I'll be on time and be on time for the rest of the year, you just watch Luna!"  
  
She stuck her nose up in the air turning her head as Usagi started forward again. "You keep telling yourself that child." She heard and felt Usagi's laughter; she turned and looked up at her laughing smiling face.  
  
"Alrighty I will then!" Usagi sped up her pace going into skipping as she lightly swung her school bag back and forth in her left hand.  
  
Minutes seemed to pass like seconds as she and Luna walked in the quietness of the park; taking a cut through it on their way to school as they listened to the birds chirp and watched the squirrels search the ground for fresh nuts from the trees above and ducks swimming with their ducklings.  
  
Cutting through the park lessened the time it took them to get to school and letting them see many a great things on the way that they wouldn't normally see on her 'express run' to school. Normally it was a super speed run that she never saw more then a blur of colors and shapes and sizes.  
  
This morning though she was actually early for once. Glancing around to all the animals running to and fro searching the grounds for their morning meal, she watched the ducks swim around and dunk under the water to catch a small fish or two. "It's quiet and calm in the mornings Luna." She all but whispered to the black cat on her shoulder also looking around at everything.  
  
"Yes it is Usagi, we should do this *every* morning." Putting the emphasis on 'every', so her young charge would get the hint that she should get up early all the time, not just 'cause she was supposed to meet someone today; which reminded her, "Usagi, whom *are* you meeting today? Do I know him?" curiosity getting the better of her.  
  
Usagi let a small smile grace her lips as she thought about the boy. "Iie Luna, you don't know him." She thought a second putting a slim digit to her pink lips in thought, "Well, I take that back you've *seen* him, you just don't *know* him."  
  
"How so?" Luna asked tilting her head to the side as she looked at her charge wonderingly.  
  
"Well…" Usagi trailed off looking at Luna then back to the pond they were passing. "You've seen his picture all over Japan, it's probably all over the world really, along with four others."  
  
'Four others?' Luna mused raising a paw to her cheek thinking, "Did they do something great to have their pictures around the world? They'd have to have saved it or som-" she stopped looking up at a smiling Usagi. "You can't be serious."  
  
"Oh but I am dear Luna!" she giggled skipping down the path swinging her bag again.  
  
Luna nodded, "So he's one of the five Gundam pilots then?" Usagi nodded, "Which one?" she wanted to know exactly which one her young charge was going to be hanging out with knowing that they all, like them, had killed before, she knew one was cold and uncaring, not at all liking the idea of her hanging out with the likes of him.  
  
"Hmm, not totally sure Luna, but BOY is he a cutie!" she grinned, "Dark brown hair, deep blue eyes, strong build… WOW!" she laughed noticing Luna staring at her like she'd lost her mind. "What?"  
  
Luna shook her head. "Hm nothing, don't worry about it." she noticed they were almost to school with twenty minutes before it started still. She looked around scanning the area for a bench but stopped as her eyes landed on a group of kids; she tapped Usagi's cheek with her left paw never taking her eyes from the kids. "Umm Usagi?"  
  
"Yes Luna?" she looked down at her.  
  
Luna pointed to the group of kids, "Does he look like him? The one facing the others?" she questioned spotting one with a muscular build and dark brown hair.  
  
"Him who? Where? Luna I don- ohh." She spotted them also smirking as a plan came to mind. "Oh yeah… that's Heero alright…" she looked at Luna with that look of mischievousness and grinned, "Come on!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Boom Boom Boom,  
Yeah I knew right from the start,  
This was something new, oh baby!  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She tiptoed up behind them slowly not attracting attention to herself by looking as if she was just out on a slow stroll, when in truth she was sneaking up behind a certain someone, as she got closer she could make out them saying something, but she wasn't close enough to hear it clearly. Shrugging it off she smiled widely as she stopped three feet from his back getting the attention of the others.  
  
"Hello Miss." The blonde one she remembered as being Quatre greeted her.   
  
The one with a braid smiled widely, "Yo babe! What's happenin'?!" 'Duo.' Her mind named him.  
  
"……." The tall one nodded. 'Trowa.'  
  
"Hmp, weak onna." The last frowned.  
  
'And Wufei.' She knew them all by the pictures, naming them in her head as they greeted her; she bowed. "Ohayo Minna!" she smiled making bunny ears on the back of Heero's head making sure not to touch his head.  
  
"So uhh…" Duo snickered, "whatcha doin'?"  
  
"That's disgraceful onna!"  
  
"Umm…" Quatre looked around, "You probably shouldn't do that Miss."  
  
She smiled keeping it up. "Oh chill guys it's cool! Right Sir?" silently hoping that dropping her voice would disguise it enough. She watched as Heero started turning around, ducking behind him and back again when he turned back not seeing anyone. Hearing a "Hn." she grinned and winked to the others before placing Luna on the ground, she stood up and stepped closer to him, keeping her voice sounding low and deep, "And just what…" she trailed off thinking of what exactly she should do. She knew his ways, well sort of anyhow and how he was around others… 'Hmm… take a chance?' she thought nodding to herself.  
  
Sending a wink down to Luna who was eyeing each of the guys she winked to the others before jumping on Heero's back holding on tightly so she wouldn't fall, her hands around his neck making sure not to choke him while her legs half wrapped around half dangled around him, "Did I tell you about saying HN!" she laughed grinning innocently ear to ear as she slapped his chest while he turned his head slightly to glare at her coldly.  
  
Seeing who it really was he wrapped his arms behind himself to help hold her up, still glaring, his eyes took on a small spark to them that only she could see, leaving the others to wonder what the deadly pilot of Wing Zero was going to do with this seemingly crazy onna on his back.   
  
Noticing that the others only saw the cold glare and Usagi saw the spark in his eye he let his lips pull upward in a small smirk as he moved his arms up to her sides, letting them hover there a second, "Hnn?" sounding almost innocent and mischievous at the same time he started to tickle her making her squeal out immediately dropping her arms from around his neck, once on her feet again she backed off form him still laughing.  
  
She looked to the others that wore looks of disbelief that the Perfect Soldier just tickled a girl and smirking while doing it. She noticed it was too much for Duo to handle as he fell to the ground.  
  
She laughed at that turning her eyes back to Heero who arched a chocolaty brown brow at her, his eyes still holding that spark of… humor in them? Watching as he fully turned around facing her he motioned with his index finger out of sight to the others, for her to come to him. Shaking her head she laughed, "Nu uh Heero! I'm not THAT blonde!" she backed away him from.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Hammer to the heart…  
Hammer to the heart…  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
He smirked, "Are you sure Usagi? Might want to check that hair color of yours." 'What am I saying?!' he mentally yelled to himself, not truly knowing why he said that, was it really him that said it? Or was something trying to take him over? Either way he kinda liked how got her to glare at him. 'She's cute when mad.' He thought watching her straighten her clothes and start marching over to him.  
  
'Did he just do what I think he did?' she wondered coming closer to him, 'He just tried to rail me up didn't he? He's picking a fight with me?' she could have laughed, instead she smirked her own little smirk, 'Ruffling my feathers eh?' Stopping five foot in front of him she put her hands on her hips, "Care to repeat that?" she asked glancing to Luna who hopped back on her shoulder eyeing them both warily.  
  
"Hn." He nodded, "Check the hair color." He closed his eyes taking a step forward he opened them. "You'll find its very much blonde." He still couldn't believe that him of all people were picking a fight with her, he wouldn't even fight with Duo or the others, unless it was serious sparing. 'Little closer.'  
  
"He's going to kill her?" Quatre wondered aloud getting a shrug from Trowa and nothing from Wufei who was watching seemingly wanting to see him fight the girl and nothing from Duo who was still passed out on the ground. Getting nothing from his friends he turned back to the two.  
  
"It's not blonde, it's umm… brighter then blonde. It's uh, got some silver in it, see?" she walked forward and pushed one of her pigtails up to his face so he could see that indeed there were silver strands in her golden tresses.  
  
He looked at her before bending down some to get a closer look at the silver strands and couldn't help but to get a whiff of her hair that smelled of peaches and strawberry. "Smells-er looks nice." He looked into her sapphire eyes moving forward a bit more as she did the same, something passing through their eyes.  
  
"Ya think so?" she asked looking into his Prussian eyes as she stepped forward dropping the pigtail from her hand as he put his around her waist, coming closer.  
  
Quatre looked around in disbelief, "He's not going to… Is he?"  
  
"Injustice." Wufei muttered.  
  
A moan form below made them turn around to look at Duo who was starting to sit up again. "Wha-what's going on?" he asked looking around before spotting Heero and the girl from before looking like they were about to lock lips. "He's gonna? Oi…" he passed out again from too much non-Heero like acting for one day.  
  
Usagi smiled to Heero as they heard the *thump* of Duo's head hitting the ground again. She was going to comment on it when she was shocked into silence by Heero winking at her before picking up his bag and handing hers to her. "Nice cat." He commented placing his right hand at the small of her back walking back over to the other guys.  
  
"Arigatou! Her names Luna; say hello to Heero Yuy, Luna." She looked to Luna and smiled watching as Luna looked to Heero and nodded to him. "Smart cat, ne?"  
  
He nodded as he kicked Duo's foot. And kicked again, and again. "Baka, wake up." He said in monotone once again kicking his foot.  
  
Ever smiling, Usagi blocked his next kick with her own petit leg. Casting her a questioning look she winked at him, "Let me, I know how to wake him up, have to do it to Oniisan all the time." With a nod from him she walked over to Duo's right side after politely asking Quatre to move over, kneeled down and started tickling Duo's side, getting little jerks as she did so.  
  
Seeing that just lightly tickling him wasn't working she looked over to Wufei. "Mind helping out here?" she asked poking her foot at Duo's ribs and rubbing it back and forth tickling him more, showing Wufei what to do, nodding to her, he followed what she did. After all he did love to torture the braided baka.  
  
A low laugh caught their attention, more squirming, the laughter turned into full requests to stop while laughing harder. "I'm UP! I'm UP!" he yelled between laughter.  
  
Usagi kneeled down beside him poking his nose and giggled as he peeked one eye open to look at who was messing with him now. "Hey there guy, wakie, wakie!" She jumped up and back by Heero who was watching the whole thing, also loving to see Duo tortured.  
  
"Wha-huh? Who are you?" he asked getting up and dusting himself off, fixing his braid he finally noticed Heero's hand resting on the girls back. "Aww Heero's got a girlfriend eh?" said in a teasing tone never one to not tease someone. Getting a cold glare from Heero he shut up. "I uh meant that you've got a uh, girl as a friend… yeah that's it."  
  
"Hn." Heero glared at him getting a slap to his arm he glared down to the girl next to him.  
  
Smiling innocently Usagi looked up, "What'd I tell you about 'Hn-ing' all the time?" she tried to glare at him but failed in giggling. "You know how to talk. Now talk."  
  
"Fine then." With an almost non-audible sigh and rolling his eyes, ignoring the harder slap to his arm he looked to Duo glaring again. "Duo no baka, shut up." At Duo's dropped jaw at not getting threatened Heero smirked looking down for her approval. She nodded and with that he led her the rest of the way to school, neither talking 'til they reached the double doors, him holding one open for her.  
  
"Thanks Heero-kun!" she pecked his cheek taking on a light pink hue to her cheeks while doing so.  
  
He nodded, "Your welcome Bunny."  
  
"So see ya after school, ne?" he nodded, "'Kay then! Ja ne Heero!" she waved as she ran off to her English class skipping through the door out of his view.  
  
"Hmm… see you later… Bunny…" Heero murmured walking towards his class once he saw Usagi bounce into hers. A slap to his back and "Hey man! That your girl or what?!" told him the others had caught up again. Glaring at Duo once more, in a deadly monotone brooking for no arguments he warned him, "Lay off baka."  
  
Duo held up his hands defensively as he backed off a few feet. "Whoa man… I was just askin'! Chill… she ain't my type anyways." He smiled to him knowing yes she was his type but he liked a girl that was more into sports and she didn't look like she was. 'Though looks can be deceiving.' He reminded himself. "So, seein' her again?" he grinned to his buddy. At Heero's nod he almost fell over again but Trowa and Quatre caught him standing him back up. "Thanks guys."  
  
"She seems friendly." Trowa commented nodding his head to the door Usagi disappeared through.  
  
Quatre looked to them both, "I agree, and she has a pure heart full of happiness and… I sense some sorrow or sadness within her." He frowned at that little bit of information thinking that she wasn't the type to be sad.  
  
"So why ya gettin' together later eh buddy?"  
  
Heero started walking towards his class again so he wouldn't be late calling over his shoulder, "To do home work." With that the rest shrugged and followed him, all having the same class as he.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
Hours flew by like minutes for Usagi as she tried paying attention in her morning classes. This time her excuse wasn't that she was sleeping; it was just that she didn't get any of it. Oh she'd ask questions about it to her friends and once or twice to the teacher, but still she didn't understand some of it, hoping that after school would be different with Heero helping her. "Maybe I'll actually understand a bit of it." she mused.  
  
Before long the bell sounded snapping Usagi out of her thoughts of trying to understand the math work. Jumping up from her seat she ran over to her backpack grabbed it out of it's slot, dug around for her lunch and *ran* out of the building stopping underneath the huge oak and plopped down leaning against the trees trunk and started opening her lunch pulling out it's contents.  
  
"Mmm yummy!" she eyed her sandwich hungrily bring it up to take a huge bite out of it, opening her mouth she started to "Hey Usa-chan!" she sighed hanging her head setting the sandwich down she looked up smiling, "Oi Minna-chan!" she waved them over, picking back up her sandwich and finally biting into it munching happily as she watched each sit.  
  
"Ossu Usagi-chan!" Ami greeted smiling at her as she sat down smoothing out her skirt. "How are you today? You got to school early, ne?" she questioned setting out her own lunch.  
  
"Mmmhmm! Wa id and wa naw wut!? Wa id maw omewirk wast wight!" she smiled as she kept munching on her food.  
  
"Umm… anyone get what she just said?" Makoto asked sitting down.  
  
"Yep she said 'Mmmhmm! I did and know what?! I did my homework last night!' Well at least I think that's what she said." Minako answered just joining the group and sitting down herself.  
  
"Well sounds right, not to sure about that homework part though." Makoto leaned forward feeling Usagi's forehead, "No fever, seems normal."  
  
Usagi swallowed. "Hey now… I had a reason for doing it and umm… well you see uhh…" she looked down at her lap blushing, this made the others smile and learn forward with a "Yes?" Looking back up Usagi winked, "I got a tutor!" she cheered making them all fall over backwards in shock. "Nani?"  
  
"N-nothing… A tutor? You wouldn't even let Ami-chan tutor you. What's new with this one?" Makoto eyed her.  
  
"Umm… well nothing…"  
  
"Bet this ones not smarter then Ami-chan." Minako said.  
  
"N-no, he's not… I mean well… I don't know…"  
  
Minako smiled as did Makoto, "So it's a guy eh? Is that why you did your homework? Like him do ya? If not is he free for grabs? Come on tell us!"  
  
"Well I uhh… yes… no… umm and no?" Usagi answered looking to each of them not sure what to do now that she'd opened her big mouth.  
  
"Was that a yes to liking him, a no, to why you did the homework and a no to up to grabs?" Ami asked figuring that's what her friends' unsure answers were for.  
  
"Umm… yes?" Usagi answered picking and eating her chips.  
  
"Okay, so he's got to be cute to her your attention, and you didn't just do the homework 'cause he's a guy… You do like him… So what's he like? Who is it?"  
  
Usagi sweat-dropped, "Umm, Minna-chan, you all know of him already."   
  
"Know of who?" came a new voice sitting down by them looking around.  
  
"REI-CHAN!" Usagi cheered hugging her friend. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Yeah girl, what's kickin'?" Makoto winked at her.  
  
"Well… You'll never think of what I talked Grampa into doing for me." She smiled.  
  
"Nani! Nani!?" they all asked.  
  
Rei's smile grew wider as she looked to each anxious face of her friends. "I got him to transfer me to y'all's school! I go here now, isn't that great!?" she was happy after so many years of knowing them she could finally go to the same school as they now.  
  
"OH WOW! WAY COOL!"  
  
"Oh yeah together once again!"  
  
"I'm very happy for you Rei-chan, it's great that we can be together like this now. Do you have our classes too?" Ami asked.  
  
"Hmm, well not sure, here's what I got. English, History, Math, lunch, gym, music and religion. What about y'all?"  
  
"Same." Was the group answer. "But I've got calculus for fifth and science for sixth." Ami answered.  
  
"I've got art for fifth and science last." Minako answered.  
  
"Same here." Makoto said.  
  
Usagi looked at all of them looking to her. "Well I've got the same but it's science for fifth and Mythology for sixth." She looked at their shocked expressions. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"  
  
"Usagi… your taking Mythology? Why?"  
  
Minako looked at her, "Can you understand all that stuff?"  
  
She nodded, "Hai and I LOVE it! Wow did you know it's a REALLY interesting class to be in?" she smiled to them, "Good thing it's last class, I can be wide awake and pay attention in that class." Grinning she dug back into her lunch.  
  
"I see." Rei nodded, "It is a pretty cool class though. Hmm Alrighty now what were you talking about before I came along and why was Usa-hime blushing?"  
  
Usagi gave an innocent shrug letting them know she wasn't going to be the one to retail the whole story. So she sat there eating and listening as each one put their bit in on the story from when she left the Cherry Hill Temple 'til now.  
  
"Okay, so you've got a guy to tutor you, he's a hottie and you like him, no grabs, ne?" Usagi nodded as Rei continued. "We know him, but don't know him, ne?" again she nodded, "Okay, taking a wild guess here… I'm going to say it's… Heero Yuy? Pilot of 01, Wing Zero, the cold hearted of them all, ne?" she looked to Usagi for conformation and found her frowning hard at her almost to the point of a glare. "What'd I say?"  
  
"He's *not* cold hearted! He's just shy and not sure about how to show feelings, he's hurting deep inside from something, I can feel it." she put a hand over her chest, like Quatre she also had the gift or curse of feeling what others felt, if it was strong enough. Being empath's had it's up and downs. "He's really sweet once you get to know him. And yes he's my tutor, helping me after school." She smiled and stared off behind them all as some people were passing. Gather her things together she stood up, blushing again. "I'm umm… going to go say hi and then head to class now… Ja ne!!" and with that she ran off behind them all.  
  
Turning around the girls were in time to see her run up and throw an arm around a boy slightly taller then her with unruly dark brown hair and the darkest blue eye's they'd ever seen. They watched as he glared at her making her giggle and grab his arm then talk to the others that were with him before waving and running into the building.  
  
The girls all took a last look at the guys before turning back to their half eaten lunches. Rei looked around at them all wonderingly. "Their all really hot…" she leaned forward, "So did she really kiss him??"  
  
* ~ *  
--- 


	5. Chapter 5: Study Session

* Hammer To The Heart *  
Chapter 5  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Later that afternoon...   
  
Usagi sat in her Mythology class twirling her pencil back and forth on her desk in boredom as the teacher droned on and on about the homework that they would have tonight. 'Why did she have to go over the homework now and not at the end of class? It's not *that* important, shesh!' she looked up blowing a silent raspberry at the teacher then grinned.  
  
"Today we'll be discussing something a bit differently." The teacher looked around the room before going on, "Today we're going to talk about... the Moon. And-"  
  
"But the moon's dead!" a student shouted out causing Usagi's head to snap towards him, then back to the teacher non-believing.  
  
The teacher shook her head, "Iie, the Moon is not dead."  
  
"But... all the wars there, the bases..." the boy stammered, not understanding his teacher.  
  
She nodded, "Hai, the wars were held there, bases built there. But does that have to mean that the Moon is dead?" she questioned getting shakes of the head from everyone. "Then it is not. It still shines bright in the sky, with a renewed glow to it if you ask me, since they cleared up all the bases so all that remains is the Moon's plan surface."  
  
"Ohhhhhh...." Echoed around the room with one sigh of relief from a silvery blonde.  
  
"Yesterday we worked on the myths of the ancient kingdom of Atlantis. Today we'll be working on the myths of the Moon Kingdom, in a time that is rumored to be called the Silver Millennium." A girl in the front row raised her hand. "Yes?"  
  
"Is it true then Miss? That there was a kingdom on the Moon? Ever? It seems far fetched to me." She crossed her hands over her chest.  
  
The teacher giggled at the girls question. "Well it's rumored, and a legend. So I can't be certain if it's true or not. One can only wonder, ne?" at the girls nod she continued. "The Silver Millennium is said to have occurred six thousand years ago from this day. It was a time when magic was still around and flourished in all-living things. Queen Serenity, who was supposed to be the reincarnated Goddess Selene, ruled over that time with a firm kind and caring hand. She had a daughter Princess Serenity, who was supposed to be a spitting image of her mother."  
  
She pulled out a book that had a painting of what someone thought Queen Serenity and her daughter looked like back then. It showed Princess Serenity standing in front of her mother smiling, her head tilted to the side a little eyes glowing with happiness and warmth, hands clasped in front of her, her golden silver hair hanging down in the same style as that of her mothers. Her mother, Queen Serenity stood behind her daughter, about a foot or so higher then her, her hair done up in two buns on either side of her head a streamer flowing out of each in a silvery water fall nearly touching the ground, her hands were placed on her daughters shoulders squeezing them lovingly, her silver-blue eyes showing all that love as she smiled at her daughter.  
  
"This is Queen Serenity and her daughter, Princess Serenity... or what someone believed them to have looked like from the legends of old." She walked down the isles so all the students could get a good look at them before returning to her desk and pulling out another painting of a wondrous castle that could of only came some a child's dream. "And this was their kingdom in all its glory before their downfall."  
  
"Umm Miss?" a small girl up front raised a timid hand, at the teachers nod she went on, "H-how did it f-fall?"  
  
The teacher smiled at her, "Aww now that's a very good question and one that I want you all to research and write a poem or two on it for me, you've two days to work on it. After which you'll turn them in for me to read, I'll hand them back and whoever has the mark on their paper can come up front and read it to the class." At their sighs and 'oh mans' she raised a hand to stop them, "Now I know that no one knows for curtain on how the Moon Kingdom fell, so you'll not get graded harshly for it. Just try your best, that's all I ask."  
  
She smiled at the nods and sighed breaths of relief, "Now as far as what we're going to talk about, lets start with what kind of relationship the Moon held with the other planets..." she went on with the lesson while Usagi tuned her out daydreaming since she knew all about the Moon Kingdom, 'Know about it is an understatement.' She thought with a smile, every now and then her ears would perk up at the mention of something she was shocked they knew about, but the time was well spent daydreaming.  
  
~ * ~ * ~ * ~   
  
Usagi bounded out of the schools double doors a broad smile playing on her rosy lips thinking that school was now over for the day and what she was going to do that afternoon besides homework for one class that was sure to be a breeze.   
  
Skipping down the stairs she ran over to her friends under the large oak tree waiting for their golden haired friend; she waved to them. "Hey guys!! REI-CHAN!!" she waved more at her raven-haired priestess; still not believing that she could be transferred to their school.  
  
"Oi Odango Atama!!" Rei yelled back smiling widely as Usagi frowned at her name.  
  
"Hiya Usa!" Makoto said waving a hand leaning against the tree.  
  
Ami looked up from helping Minako with something, they waved smiling. "Hey Usa-chan!!"  
  
She smiled brightly at their greetings and their unexpected waiting on her; she skipped over to them throwing her backpack up on her shoulder again, "Hey guys! Whatcha doin'?" they just all smiled at her. "Why the waiting on me?" their smiled grew.  
  
"Hey Usagi... what happened?"  
  
She looked at them, "Huh? When?"  
  
"When? This morning!" Minako said throwing a hand in the air.  
  
"With a certain boy..." Makoto trailed off.  
  
"OH! Well I got up early, went to the park and ran into Heero... got to school early... But you all already know that." she cocked her head to the side questioningly.  
  
Rei hung her head and sighed almost inaudibly, "She's dense..." she whispered picking her head up she walked in front of Usagi, eyes seemingly aglow she took Usagi's shoulders in hand and shook her while quietly yelling, "The boy!! Usa! The boy!! DID YOU KISS THE BOY!?!?" Makoto and Ami had to pry Rei's hands off of Usagi and hold her back while Usagi stood there shaking her head, trying to get her hearing back.  
  
She grinned a mischievous grin her eyes shinning as a slow pink took her cheeks, "Maybe... Maybe I did..." she winked to them knowing that them no knowing was driving them up the wall.  
  
"MAYBE!?" they all yelled at once even quiet little Amy. Usagi looked shocked at that but just grinned, "MAYBE?!"  
  
She nodded, "Hai, maybe. And maybe not." She winked before turning, "Excuse me Minna-chan, demo I have a appointment to keep" waving she ran off towards the school gates.  
  
The girls stood there and watched her go still shocked that she didn't tell them id she did or did not kiss him. "Maybe!?" they all whispered quietly turning and following their happy bunny to the school gates keeping a good distance behind her, their slow pace due to lack of believing.  
  
They watched as their bunny skipped up to the school's gates and peered around both corners and frown, peering behind her then back around the corners again, as if waiting for someone. She peered behind her once more then turned to look around the corner and jumped back startled as she faced a guy's chest; they giggled at her as they turned and started to head out of a different set of gates that led off in the direction of the Cherry Hill Shrine.  
  
~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  
She skipped to the gate looking around for that unruly brown head she was coming to know more then enough, and liking it no less. She didn't see him, school jus let out she was here now where was he?  
  
"Baka's late. Thought he wasn't ever late?" she pouted then smiled, "Oh you baka! School did 'just' let out, he'll be here in a minute." She reminded herself looking behind then front peering around the gates, not going out; she looked behind herself again and turned to look in front she jumped back startled, "AAIIEE!"  
  
She glanced up nervously seeing Heero staring at her no emotions showing but for the slight smirk his lips were tugging into. She glared at him her sapphire blue eyes twinkling as she walked up to him to poke him in the chest griping at him, "Why you-" she stopped when she heard laughter coming from the other side of the gates that she couldn't see.  
  
Raising an eyebrow to Heero, he shrugged. She rolled her eyes looking beyond him to see the other four guys he was with that morning, the laugher being the one with the long braid, Duo. "And what are you laughing at? Duo?" she questioned her brow still raised as she walked to him a little stopping before him, herself between the others and Heero now.  
  
"Heh... n-not much babe!" he laughed trying to stop holding his chest a little, "Y-your j-just kinda cute when you... g-glare... at him!!" he burst out laughing again causing Quatre to blush smiling at her apolitically and a grunt from the Chinese, silence from the tall one.  
  
"Hn."  
  
"Oh ya think?" she giggled, "Well maybe I should do that more often ne?" she grinned looking over her shoulder to Heero with a wink. He raised a brow in question causing her to laugh before bowing a little to the others. "It's great to see you all again!" she chirped, "Going somewhere?"  
  
"Ah well... we were going to stop by the store and somewhere else before coming home, there's a few things that we have to get before we head home." Quatre answered her.  
  
"Oh? Like what?" she questioned him.  
  
Heero lightly pushed her from behind, "Nothing. We've got studying, come on" he took her left arm with his right pulling her away from the others so they could get to his place and study before the outing. First rule to studying was not having distractions, and the others were a distraction for her, so they had to leave.  
  
"Wha-hey! Heero!" Usagi protested trying to keep up with him. "I can walk on my ow-" she was cut off by "HHHHEEEEEEEERRRROOOOO!!!" a high voice called out making Usagi yank her arm free covering her ears and Heero tense up as the yelling got louder, closer, never stopping.  
  
Usagi seeing his reaction to it turned around and started looking for whoever or whatever was yelling his name like a banshee. She didn't see anything over the crowd of kids that were fastly filing out of the school gates, she didn't know what was up, but knew it couldn't be good if Heero was reacting this way to it. 'Hmmm... what the heck is that!?' she wondered looking around again this time catching sight of a arm waving around in the air. "Huh?" she watched glancing to Heero then back again.  
  
"HHEEEERRROOOOO!!! HEERROOO OVER HERE!!!"  
  
Usagi shook her head glancing back to the other boys wiggling a finger in her ear trying to get her hearing back she noticed Wufei wearing a deep scowl, Duo trying to hide behind Quatre and Trowa while they looked at the waving arm in something that looked like dread? Turning her gaze back to Heero she tugged on his shirtsleeve like a small child would, "Hey Heero... who's that? I think they want to talk to you?"  
  
Heero looked down seeing her curious gaze and grunted with a slight shake of his head. "No." his monotone was full force as he started to push her the other direction giving a glare to the others in warning of leaving and not telling where he went, Usagi wasn't sure though, she was sure now that she wouldn't of wanted to meet whoever that was yelling like a mad person for him.  
  
She glanced back once and saw red cloth and wheat colored hair floating around coming towards them. Shrugging her shoulders she looked back to the other guys as Heero guided her along and waved to them, "Ja ne Minna! See ya soon!" she giggled at Duo's scared pleading look for her to take him with her. Smiling she looked up to Heero as they turned a corner the noise from their school growing softer in the distance, "Umm Heero... who was that? Duo looked pretty scared there."  
  
Looking down he nodded understandingly but smirked thinking of the baka cowering behind the others. "Relena."  
  
"Uh huh... and who's she besides a yelling lunatic?"  
  
He almost chuckled, "Annoying."  
  
"Ahh I see... well that fits her..." said turning front again to watch where they were heading. She wasn't one to judge people on how they acted alone; she wasn't even one to really judge, but there was something about the way that one girl got them all acting. 'I mean these are the famed Gundam Pilots... they're not scared of anything... and one young girl can make them cower and react like that?' She pondered on it for a bit more before shrugging catching a hold of Heero's arm she unconsciously laid her head against it humming a tune as they walked.  
  
Heero looked down in slight shock hiding it well as she leaned against him softly laying her head on his arm humming; it was a nice sight. 'One to make the braided baka faint again.' he smirked picturing it in his mind. Shaking his head, lips still twitching he steered her around a second corner coming upon a long street with huge houses lining each side, trees spread all about and along the road shading it with the large branches of Oaks, giving it a serene and clam look. He shook his a little getting her attention nodding to the street once she looked to him. Hearing her gasp in awe he let a small smirk cross his lips tugging her to the right and three doors down.  
  
They climbed the steps to a moderately midsize looking three-story house; it was light gray with white shutters on all the windows, some of them had small flower planters under the windows, others had small balconies. Usagi stared in awe at the house; she'd never seen anything so big before, not a house anyways, she knew of rich people and their likings of huge houses but she'd never *been* to one of them. Shaking her head slightly she went through the door Heero held open for her, once in he pointed to the staircase, getting the hint she started up them glancing behind her once in a while to make sure he was still there before looking around her as they went.  
  
Reaching the top of the third floor Heero stepped beside her, "This way" leading her through the hall past a few doors which she guessed were the others but wasn't sure since there were three floors to the house. He opened one door near the end of the hall and stepped inside motioning her in, "Have a seat and we'll get started" he closed the door walking over to his desk and rummaged though his backpack.  
  
Usagi nodded walking over to the bed and sat down looking around her as she pulled her own pack off her back into her lap just holding it while her gaze swept around the seemingly dark room. "Wow... this is nice" whispered looking at the ceiling that was black with shiny silver stars scattered about, one pale moon hung in the middle surrounded by other small planets; she looked to the walls thinking it was only one color, then noticed that whomever had painted them was talented enough to do the tops black fading into a darker blue that lightened as it reached the off white carpeted floor; she looked to the two large windows which were on either side of his desk, the dark blue curtains held back by thin golden ropes letting in all the suns light filling the room, making it brighter yet not taking away from the aura that the colors made. It was peaceful and mysterious all in one.  
  
'Almost like... they were painting their way from space to Earth.' She thought and smiled liking it a lot, she turned her head watching him dig through his backpack pulling out books and unzipping his laptop pulling it out of it's case. 'Guess I should get ready too' she looked down at her pack pulling out her own books and materials read to see just how much she could grasp from his teachings. 'Hope he's better then Mrs. H' she giggled scooting back on the bed sitting Indian style her skirt spread about her as she lay her books in one pile taking out her math book, one subject she needed the most help in.  
  
Heero gathered his laptop, two books and paper together and made his way to the bed sitting up against the headboard he placed his laptop to his right opening it he typed for a minute, waited as it beeped then set his other things to his left. He looked up at Usagi motioning with his index finger for her to move closer before looking back to his laptop and typing once more.  
  
She sighed, 'Why do I have to move? I'm the one wearing the skirt here.' She shrugged her shoulders looking around for something to help in doing his silent request. 'Ahh there it is!' she leaned over snatching the think black felt blanket from the foot of the bed draping it about her shoulders like an Indian would, she pushed her books forward then eased down on the bed laying on her tummy the looked back making sure it well covered her to her knees giving her feet a few small kicks back and forth satisfied she turned back plopping her head in the palms of her hands smiling up at his raised brow.  
  
"Nani? You wanted me closer... Here I am." She smiled giggling, "It's more comfy this way. Now" looking at her books then to him, "Which are we starting with? 'Cause I might warn you again..." wagging a finger at him her head still in her other palm "I suck at them all demo for Mythology."  
  
He raised his other brow, "Really?" his monotone held a hint of wonder in it. When she nodded still smiling he turned and typed something else into his laptop effectively making Usagi wonder just what he was typing in there. He pointed to her book, "Math first?" seeing as how it was the one in front of her.  
  
"Wha-huh?" she snapped out of her thoughts looking down at her finger pointing to her book. "Oh yeah! Gomen, yea this is the one I wanted to start with. I suck at it." He stared at her. "Well I know the basics... add subtract, I'm pretty good at division, its just the other stuff."  
  
"I hope so." Heero whispered lowly when she said add and subtract. 'If she didn't know those there'd be no helping her.' He thought trying not to smirk. He liked this girl and for the life of him he couldn't put a finger on why he liked her. He knew it had to do with the way she was, the way she radiated happiness and joy and cared for everything and everyone. That he understood. What he didn't was why he, was liking her, when he liked no one else, even that annoying Relena that he had threatened over the years and never carried out those threats. He frowned at that, 'It would have ended the peace' he reasoned.  
  
"Hell~oo? Anyone home?" Usagi waved a hand in front of his face snapping her fingers. "Heero, you spacing out on me?" He shook his head clearing the thoughts out of his mind looking at her concerned face and slowly shook his head. "Good to know, thought you'd never come back." She smiled, "SO where to start?"  
  
"Go to chapter fifteen."  
  
"Fifteen!? We're only on like... chapter nine in class!" whining waving a hand while her other absentmindedly flipped through the books pages, "What are you? In advanced math?" She asked finding the chapter and looked back up at him, he was smirking and gave a curt nod; she hung her head muttering, "I knew it! I knew it! Great... I'm gonna die before we're done of brain over load!" She felt a hit to her head jerking it up she rubbed her forehead glaring at him, "What was that for!?"  
  
"Stop whining and pay attention." He commanded making her shut up and stare at him nodding slowly her eyes still holding that look of fire. "Chapter fifteen is a mixture of all of those and has some Algebra in it." he paused watching for her response to that, which was her face dropping slightly along with her head.  
  
"Aye da mi..."  
  
"It's only hard if you make it to be."  
  
"It's hard if its hard..." she sighed looking from him to her book, "Alright then, lets try this... How do we do this" she looked up, "Sensei?" and smiled at him knowing this was his territory and not hers, their class hadn't even gotten this far yet.  
  
He gave an almost unnoticeable nod to her before pointing to the book. "This is Algebra. It's your friend." She laughed at him muttering "Yeah right" he waited for her to stop before continuing. "It can help you solve many problems with ease if you know how to use it." he pointed to a problem, "X/Y = 5 solve it."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Solve it."  
  
She stared at them a minute then back to the problem trying to figure out just *how* she was supposed to get an answer from two letters and one number. She scratched her head, "Umm... H-how do you get an answer from two letters?"  
  
"Good question." He was glad she asked, thinking she was just going to try and not know how, thus getting further disappointed that she didn't get it. "See the numbers to the right in that table?" she nodded, "Use those to take one of those numbers and use it in place of the X. That's how you'll get your answer."  
  
"Hmm mk, I'll try." She got her paper and rewrote the problem down, trying to do as he said, knowing he was watching her closely trying to get it right. Five minutes later she looked up slightly nervious, "Umm I-is this right?" asked handing him the paper.  
  
He read it over and handed it back nodding. "Hai, try the others." She did and gave the page back hopefully, he shook his head, "Those two are wrong, here try like this..." he leaned forward writing on the page so she could see, showing her how to do it right.  
  
Twenty minutes later Usagi sat up stretching her arms, "Alright! I give, I kinda get it... demo could we *please* do something else now? I think I'm mathed out ya know?" she giggled waving a hand to the other books, "Pick one."  
  
The only other choices for him to pick from were English and Geography since she said that she didn't need help in Mythology. He stared at that book a while longer then the others as if trying to figure something out about it; with a small shrug of his shoulders he picked it up thumbing through it.  
  
"Wha-hey Heero, I don't need help in that one..." Usagi made a grab for the book and failed when Heero leaned back away from her still thumbing through it. She watched him as he did so wondering what he could be looking for, she didn't need help in that one; she didn't even know now why she bothered to get it out of her backpack.  
  
She laid back down her head rested in her hands watching him her mind whirling with thoughts of things she couldn't ever tell him, or anyone; she wanted to giggle watching him, her cheeks taking on a pink hue to them. 'Very kawaii...' Heero's eyes widened a fraction making her ears perk up, "Heero? What's wrong?"  
  
He only shook his head glancing at her over the books top then back to the book. 'What is he doing now?' she wondered yet another thing about him. 'He's so full of mysteries... Why?'  
  
"It's you?"  
  
"Huh? Sorry wasn't listening."  
  
He turned the book around, "It's you."  
  
Her eyes widened, 'Does he know? N-no he couldn't.' she looked at the picture then back to him, "N-no its n-not me. That's a Hime of a long forgotten kingdom we're learning about in school." He stared at her as if trying to see through her, figuring something out. "Really, in Mythology class... We even have an assignment to do." She pulled out another sheet she had written earlier that day, "See."  
  
"Poems?"  
  
She nodded, "Hai, supposed to be on how the kingdom fell. Though no one really knows how it fell, do they?"  
  
"Tragically."  
  
"Huh? How do you know that?" she raised a brow at him.  
  
Heero smirked, "I'm just smart like that."  
  
"Ahh..." shaking her head sweat dropping Usagi tried not to giggle, "Ah right, well Mr. Smarty Pants... then why don't you do them for me?"  
  
"Umm... No."  
  
"Should have known you'd say that." taking back the paper and book and sat up looking about for a clock. "Say what time were the others coming back?"  
  
"At four."  
  
"Oh so that gives us like... oh an hour to work huh?" asked scratching the back of her head, "Or uh how about a game? Whatta ya say?"  
  
Heero sat back folding his arms across his chest, "No. Get to work now or you'll never finish."  
  
"Awww Heero! Do I have to?"  
  
"Hn."  
  
"Fine... fine..." with that she set to try writing the two poems for tomorrows class hoping that they sounded something close to intelligent and hopped that they rhymed, she wasn't good at this kind of thing. 'I know I love the class but this is asking a bit much of me' she sweat dropped.  
  
* ~ * ~ *  
  
'This store then we hit that one and we're done!' he smiled brightly at that thought, "Hey guys! Is this all of it? Are we ready!?" his smile grew while he got a skip in his step.  
  
The blonde sighed shifting the bags in his arms, "Yes Duo! We're got enough for the next world war! Allah forbid." He chuckled at his friends excited face. "I do think he'll like this more then the last time we did something."  
  
"Hmph if he doesn't kill ya first."  
  
"Huh?! Hey! He loves me! He wouldn't kill me."  
  
"No just that damned braid of yours."  
  
"Wha!? Not my precious braid!"  
  
"........."  
  
The blonde nodded, "Yeah I know what you mean."  
  
"Can we just get home please?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, whatever! We're going, we're going..."  
  
* ~ * ~ *  
  
"This good? What do you think? Does it rhyme? I can't rhyme to save my life... Is it good?" shooting out questions worried and not giving him time to let his eyes even hit the paper yet.  
  
"Chill out." 'Geez, she's as hyper and over worried as that braided baka.' He mentally smirked at that thought letting his eyes roam over the first page taking in its words nodding slowly. "It's good." He watched her face light up as a smile spread across her face as she waited anxiously for him to read the next; so he did and after a minute nodded his head. "This ones better, more feelings in it." he leaned over handing her back the page.  
  
"Ohhh thanks!" Usagi's cheeks took on a pink hue as she leaned forward to get the papers back smiling at him for the compliment thinking that it was a first for someone to compliment her on something dealing with school work. 'Wait 'til the others find out!' mentally cheering getting closer she lids closing, she felt the papers touch her fingers then a warmth that spread through her hand up her arm sending shivers down her spine.  
  
He handed the pages back staring at her, studying her face as it lit up in happiness. He was vaguely aware that he had given her back the pages and was now holding her hand, the new warmth that seeped up his arm told him this. Watching as her eyes started to slowly close he wondered what she was thinking about while he still inched closer unconsciously.  
  
Hot breath on his skin from her breathing, rosy pink lips a mere inch from him her cheeks were rosy now her breathing was light and quick. At the last second he stopped moving, he knew what he was about to do yet didn't know why. 'She knows.' His mind informed him hinting to her rosy appearance and quick breaths; she was anticipating it, 'Should I?' questioning in his mind what his heart started to already figure out. 'Go for it!' an annoying voice sounding like Duo's shouted to him; rolling his eyes at the shout out he stared at her before lifting a finger to her chin lightly lifting it up letting his lips touch hers in the softest of touches.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Do it! Do it! Do it!  
When you hit the spot,  
Sexual Messiah, You know what'cha got,  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Mmm" Usagi leaned forward fluttering lids opened to stare into his dark blues her face now a light red she smiled. 'H-he kissed me' she wanted to touch her lips that felt as if a feather just brushed against them for the shortest of times but didn't move for fear of breaking the comfortable silence that surrounded them like a warm blanket blocking everything else out; for her it's how it seemed a protecting blanket of silence, just the two of them.  
  
She noticed he was watching her, looking for something in her eyes. 'Windows to the soul' her mind reminded her knowing that her eyes couldn't hide anything, they gave and said all that her heart did, letting every emotion slip from it through her eyes even if she wasn't letting herself portray those feeling any other way. She knew her swirling blues were a mix t hat he couldn't read, if indeed that's what he was doing, smiling a little more she leaned forward towards him.  
  
Heero's eyes flashed with unreadable emotions that disappeared just as fast as they showed up be inching forward watching as her lids started to close over her sparkling eyes; reaching out a finger to her chin guiding it he started to close the distance between them. "WE'RE HOOOOME!!!!" and a slamming of the main door shook them back to reality nearly making Usagi fall off the bed in shock; Heero's quick reflexes clicked into action his hand flying out catching her faltering one that reached for anything to hinder her falling.  
  
She smiled gratefully at him for the helping hand as she sat back up thinking of their almost action she blushed, then sighed. 'Dangit!' she giggled causing Heero's brow to rise in questioning. "Uh heh nothing. Guess they're home huh?" she giggled again sticking some of her books back into her bag.  
  
"Hn."  
  
"Well lets not keep them waitin' on us then! Lets go see 'em!" throwing the last of her books into her bag she jumped from the bed and headed for the door smiling as she waited for him, with a grunt he got down and walked over to her leading the way to them.  
  
"Hey man! Whatcha'll doin' up there huh?" asked a grinning Duo throwing a wink at Usagi making her blush.  
  
"Omae o korosu baka."  
  
"EPP! SAVE ME WU-MAN!" he leap behind Wufei bags and all hiding behind him looking over his shoulder right into a glaring scowling face of Wufei.  
  
"Prepare to DIE Maxwell!" he reached for his katana and started to face him, "Injustice! My name is Wufei! W-U-F-E-I! Not WU-MAN!" he gave chase running throughout the house jumping over chairs ignoring Duo's yells, "I'M SORRY MAN! I DIDN'T MEAN IT WU-MAN!"  
  
Quatre sighed, "Here we go again... You'd think they had enough of that on the way home."  
  
"They did this on the way here?" Usagi's voice held a non-believing edge to it at Quatre's nod she face faulted. "They're as bad as Rei-chan and me."  
  
"........."  
  
"My best friend... well one of them any ways."  
  
"Oh I see. Well if we can get them to stop fighting long enough we could be on our way. We've got a good afternoon planned." Quatre stated nodding to Trowa who took the bags from him and went towards the kitchen, Quatre turned back to the duo on the stairs. "Heero, if you'd please to and get them to stop fighting" he nodded and left, "and Usagi if you've got anything to change into, you really should for this afternoon's activities."  
  
Usagi nodded thinking. "Well I think I've got something it's in my bag up there" thumbing behind her up the stairs.  
  
"Alright, well if not the room to the right of Heero's has some of my old sisters clothes in it that should fit you if you don't have anything with you that is."  
  
"Thanks Quat!" she skipped up the stairs humming a tune then laughed to herself hearing the shouts below in another room, she stopped at the top of the stairs looking over the railing towards where they were coming from vaguely noticing Quatre had moved to stand in the doorway staring into the room blocking her view; but in her mind she formed a pretty accurate picture of what she thought was happening to accompany the shouts.  
  
"Hey, hey! You don't want to do that man!" Duo's nervious voice floated up to her ears.  
  
"Hn."  
  
"Shoot the idiot already!"  
  
"Omae o korosu Chang." Heero's voice a cold monotone, "Put the katana away."  
  
Wufei relented and did so crossing his arms over his chest, "Hmph, fine he can die another day."  
  
"Can you uh, please put that thing DOWN NOW?!" Duo backed away from Heero who re-aimed his .45 pointing it in his face.  
  
"No."  
  
"Aww come on man! I'm SORRY!"  
  
Heero's lips twitched slightly 'causing Duo to back up more looking for a way out. "Go get ready. And stay out of trouble" his voice told of an unspoken promise of what would happen if he didn't.  
  
"Uh huh, yeah sure man, whatever you say buddy!" Duo's voice was fast and unsteady trying to carry that humorous side it always had, though this time it was shaking from fear; he knew Heero wouldn't really kill him, after all if he had he'd been dead in the first war back in AC195, not alive today, but for some reason his voice told him other wise.  
  
So nodding slowly he turned and bolted for the door hearing a *CLICK* of Heero's hammer hitting the firing pen, "YEEAWOO!" he jumped up grabbing his rear rubbing it trying to get the stinging to go away. "That HURT MAN!" he yelled turning around to glare at Heero who was... smirking? 'Dude that's scary, it's almost a smile!' he thought frowning turning one eyes gaze away noticing that Wufei seemed to be having a hard time trying not to laugh. Turning his head he glanced behind him to see Trowa standing behind Quatre in the other doorway, Trowa was smirking his emerald eye sparkling, Quatre on the other hand was outright smiling his eyes shinning with humor as he stuffed his fist in his mouth to keep from laughing out loud; tilting his head to the side he frowned more thinking he heard laughter from somewhere else.  
  
"That wasn't funny man! That friggin' HURT!" he rubbed his rear more only causing the struggling people in the room to try harder not to let loose; those that were smirking only caused their smirks to grow. "What the HELL was that!?" rubbing his rear more feeling the stinging growling less figuring that he'd have a good red mark where it hit, something cool fell into his hand; bringing it to his face his jaw fell as he turned to glare at the guns holder.  
  
Heero's smirk grew more also, at the point of a smile but his soldier side of him wouldn't let it show, not now where the atmosphere was already filled with shock, bewilderment and humor, he didn't want to add fainted bodies to that count. "A pellet?" Duo's voice was soft and almost sounded shocked, "You shot Shinigami with a PELLET GUN!?" yelling the last part eyes wide.  
  
Heero nodded, "Rather it be the real thing?" his monotone voice asked reaching behind him with his other hand he pulled out a gun that looked exactly the same as the one in his right hand; a shining silver Colt .45. He watched as Duo looked from one to the other trying to figure out which was the real one; his eyes lit up in knowing a minute later shaking his head as he noticed the one in Heero's left hand was indeed the real one from the ivory handled sides of it. "I could, you know" somewhat waving the real one at him feeling playful with an extra set of eyes on him now.  
  
"Uhh no thanks... I think I'll pass on that bro. SEE YA!" he said running out the other door that wasn't blocked by bodies listening to the laughing that rang through the house as he left for his room to get the other things for the trip today wishing that he wouldn't have to do that again. "Being shot with a pellet hurts!" he smirked, "That reminds me!" running off in a new direction no doubt to plan more mischief ness.  
  
Back in the room Quatre and Trowa were laughing while Wufei and Heero just wore wide smirks watching the other with a nod. Heero stuck the two guns back in their places glancing up in time to see a laughing blonde skip back up the stairs her face tainted red from laughing at the happenings. Shaking his head he turned to the others mainly Quatre who was leaning up against Trowa trying to stop laughing and keeping himself standing; catching sight of Heero looking at him only caused him to laugh more his face turning a deeper shade of red, after five or so minutes he regained his laughter enough to look at him.  
  
Heero would have laughed himself at the sight but didn't, "How long 'til we leave?" his voice held a indifferent tone in it for he didn't really care to go and he didn't mind going; either way he knew he'd be forced to go, at least he could be thankful that Usagi was accompanying him on this trip.  
  
"Well as soon as Trowa and Duo are ready to leave, on and when Ms- er Usagi's ready to go."  
  
"Hn, I'll be back." With that he headed up the stairs back to his room.  
  
  
* ~ * Ten minutes later * ~*   
  
They all assembled at the bottom of the stairs by the entrance. All five dressed and ready to go; Duo wearing black cargo shorts, a dark gray shirt and black sneakers grinning widely holding a large bag in his arms. Quatre was dressed in kaki slacks, sky blue shirt and his dark violet vest stood next to Trowa who changed from his school uniform to his normal smoke jeans and navy blue shirt. Wufei stood leaning against the wall wearing his Chinese pants and dark blue tank top, which bore the emblem of a golden dragon. Heero stood as only Heero could, arms crossed over his chest, eyes closed waiting for the last one to come down wearing his camo shorts, smoky gray sneakers with a dark blue almost black tank top.  
  
"Where's that onna!?"  
  
"I don't know but if your looking for a girl I'm right here" a silvery voice called from the top of the stairs gaining everyone's attention seeing that their heads turned upward to glimpse at her. She wore a blue sleeveless shirt decked with little light blue teardrops around the neckline tucked into a pair of tan shorts stopping at mid thigh held up by a black belt, a pair of blue tennis shoes adorned her small feet; twirling around once she smiled. "Whatcha think?" she giggled as some nodded slowly towards her descending form.  
  
Quatre watched her skip down the stairs studying the outfit she wore, "That's... hmm..." tilting his head to the side his brow furrowed in thought, "I know that outfit..." he couldn't rightly place which sister's it had been, having twenty-nine of them made his mind scramble up on him like mush when it came to remembering which of them had what. "I know!" his eyes lit up, "That's Stephine's outfit! She wore that once to my birthday party dad threw at the Sanq's Central Park!" smiling happily that he remembered whose it was since it was tugging at the ends of his memory.  
  
"Can we go now!? Can we go now!?" overly hyper Duo asked bouncing from foot to foot.  
  
Wufei started for the door, "Baka."  
  
"HEEYYY! Wu-man be nice!" Duo pouted slumping his shoulders trying not to grin when he heard a growl seeing Wufei's shoulders start to shake.  
  
"Umm... how are we going where we're going?" she shook her head, "That make since to anyone else?"  
  
"Driving." Trowa's quiet voice replied shifting his bag to the other hand.  
  
"Good, well to keep these goobers from fighting and trying to kill another again, umm..." trailing off not having thought that part out yet. "Can you drive?" she asked Heero receiving a nod. "Good then you me and Wufei can ride in one and the other three in another." Duo gave her his best pouting lips and large puppy eyes. "Ohhh no buddy boy! I'm not going to have a cat fight in the car."  
  
"Truck."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's a truck. Not a car."  
  
Usagi shook her head, "Fine, fine. No fighting in the *truck*."  
  
"We shouldn't be fighting at all!" Quatre cried out blushing as all eyes stared at him.  
  
"White padded room time..." someone muttered quietly.  
  
Duo chuckled, "Someone forgot who he is... I think." He scratched his head shaking it. "That's alright! Shinigami'll kick all y'alls butts in the battlefield!"  
  
"But Duo we shouldn't be fi-" Trowa cut him off placing a hand on the shorter boys shoulder lightly pushing him towards the door, "Lets just go before it gets dark." Quatre nodded grabbing Trowa's set of keys on the way out the back.  
  
"Wow... you know... naw." Usagi shook her head hopping down from the last step. "Well let's get a move on! I'm in the mood! The mood to groove!" she laughed skipping after the three that already exited the back door where she was sure the garage was kept.  
  
"Weird onna."  
  
"Hn."  
  
"I HEARD THAT!" she sent a glare over her shoulder. "Lets MOVE it gentlemen!" they fell in pace with her, "Lef... lef... Your lef right lef! Lef... lef... Your lef right lef!" giggling at the glares but keeping it up 'til they got to the truck, "Wow."  
  
"Hmph." Wufei watched her, as she looked the truck that was more then three foot her size over in awe. Heero's truck was indeed one to behold it's color a midnight blue almost looking black held a shine and sparkle to it that one might think millions of tiny stars were caught in that inky blue color; standing two and half foot from the ground thanks to the lift kit he had installed it was finished off with a black brush guard with winch and roll bar that held four KC lights atop it, ready for night riding.  
  
"Alright stop staring and get in." Wufei took her above her hips lifting her into the cab then climbing in him self.  
  
"Arigatou Wufei!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah." He mumbled buckling his seatbelt while they waited for Heero to climb in; Usagi hit him in the arm with her fist. "BE NICE!" yelling in his ear grinning innocently at Heero's raised brow.  
  
"Baka onna." Another hit, "grrrr..."  
  
"PPTTTTHHHH!" blowing a raspberry at him before turning to Heero, "Can we go now?" he nodded his head in front of him, "Oh." She noticed that they couldn't leave 'til Trowa left and from the looks of it Duo was being hyper active and griping about wanting to do something, she watched him point to the back and sighed. 'I wanna go this year!' she leaned over folding her arms across her chest waiting.  
  
'Hn?' his brown went up as she unknowingly leaned against his arm resting while they waited; giving a slight shrug he looked back to watching the idiot hold them up. Two minutes later he was about ready to shoot the idiot himself, he revved the engine hoping that would get their attention for it if didn't he'd really shoot them.  
  
"Grr come on!" glancing down Heero watched as Usagi muttered something under her breath undoing her seatbelt climbing over him leaning out the window, "TODAY PEOPLE! TODAY!" that got shocked responses; Duo stared at her before hopping into the back of Trowa's truck sitting still mouth closed while he kept staring at her. Trowa looked at her smirking with a nod he got in the truck, a silent thanks, Quatre wide eyed just got into the truck; then, they were off for Duo's 'grand surprise.'  
  
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  
2-5-02  
11:42pm  
--- 


	6. Chapter 6: Water Gun's Salute

Hammer To The Heart  
Chapter 6  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
"She's scary and weird... She's scary and weird..." Duo mumbled to himself just about the whole ride there before his face lit up in a wide wicked grin as he made a gun with his hand turning to the side watching as Heero pulled up ready to pass them, he caught Usagi's eye looking at him, grinning wider he acted like he shot her, "You're goin' down babe!"  
  
As if understanding him by reading his lips she smiled broadly pulling down one eye lid and blowing a raspberry at him, "Not if you go down first buddy boy!" grinning as he shook his head at her and the curious glances from Wufei and Heero, shrugging her petit shoulders she leaned forward, turned the music up, sat back, crossed her arms and waited 'til they reached their destination.  
  
'Interesting' Heero thought keeping one eye on the girl beside him, the other on the road occasionally glancing at the braided one in the back of Trowa's truck. He couldn't help but find himself wondering exactly what the Braided Baka had planned this time, last time it was a trip to the carnival; which earned him being shot by the Perfect Soldier with a stands suction cup gun, each finding their mark without flaw... right in the middle of his head. Lesson that Duo learned on that trip was, do not try forcing the Perfect Soldier on a ride in the Love Canal with someone he didn't know... Ever.  
  
His wonderings were cut short when the Braided Baka started jumping up and down pointing off in the distance where the wood line started. He raised a brow eyeing the boy as he grabbed two bags from the back jumped out and started running to the nearest tree while everyone else got out, or jumped down from, in his trucks case, and made they're way to him, all questioning him with they're eyes.  
  
"Okay! Okay! We're here now!" he jumped up and down watching them all give him weird looks. "Hey, okay so here's what we're gonna do... We're each takin' one of these" reaching into the bag he pulled out twin Super Soaker 3000s tossing them to everyone then opening the next bag pulling out the same giving them out as well, taking one for himself, "and pair off, then let the fun begin!" laughing looking to them all again, "Don't need me to tell you what to do now do I Heero?"  
  
"Shut up Duo no baka" Growling at the idiot, of course he knew what to do with it, it was a gun after all; that thought alone made him smirk evilly glaring at the braided one who took a step back from the look.  
  
"Eh now okay... you and me, just so I can annoy you." smiling innocently at a now fuming Wufei. "You and you, and you and him. There! Now lets scatter!" with that said all headed their own ways with they're partners whispering of plans when they got there before splitting up and heading out.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
"Got it?" snickers could be heard as the other person nodded.  
  
"Gods this is going to be good!"  
  
Their partner in the game nodded as they're lips twitched, "Lets get going now."  
  
"Hey! Don't have to tell me twice!" they snickered once more as each went different directions in pursuit of their pray.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
"Are you sure about this?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"But we shouldn't be-" a hand slapped over their mouth, "Don't even go there. Get your gun and go." Quietly spoken as not to give any hints to they're whereabouts as the other nodded and they left, sights set on two people.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
"Cool! Cool! Cool!" one bounced around happily looking widely about as if someone would sneak up behind them shooting at them and effortlessly kicking both from this game of water war.   
  
"If you don't shut *up*! You'll be missing something *really* quickly."  
  
They gulped moving back slightly at just the way it was said and which words they had put more stress on. Being wise, they hushed listening to the rest of the plan as it was told. Nodding both left on they're mission, a mission to win.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
A tree limb snapped. "Shhhh!" one turned 'round to glimpse who had done the deed, only finding no one. 'Whoa... creepy...' Ignoring the feeling that they were being watched by one that wasn't they're partner, they carried on against the internal battle to stop, turn and wait. Shaking they're head they decided that war waited for no one, regardless of what kind it was and continued on.  
  
Snap. There it went again! Whipping around gun raised they paused holding they're breath while eyes roamed the landscape before them. Nothing was there again. Why? They weren't imagining the noises 'less they were making it and they knew they weren't. Scanning the area once more, in front and behind they stared off in wonder. 'Either it's a ghost, or whoever's following me is good at hiding.'  
  
There it was, the rustle of leaves as the wind lightly blew, one solitary leaf floated down, swaying side to side landing softly at their feet. 'Huh?' wondering slightly as to its fall. No it wasn't unusual to have a leaves fall from trees when the wind decided to blow, but something in them said this wasn't a normal falling. Glancing up slowly following the same suit with his gun, aiming it where his eye looked, he noticed it. There behind two massive branches stuck out a piece of blue cloth.  
  
'I knew I wasn't nuts thinking someone was following me!' Starting forward once more, acting as if backtracking their steps they kept one eye to the ground, the other up at the tree, trying to seem as it all was normal, just searching for their pray. 'Okay... a little more now...' judging the way they walked to the way the person in the tree moved, they tried to time it just right. 'Come on... show yourself!' mentally ordering the stalker to show more of them self so they'd have a clean shot.  
  
'Ppssshhhhhhh' the sound of water rushing from the guns ending and splattering against something else broke the days silent blanket around them both as the shooter jumped up and down yelling for joy, "GOT YA BUDDY! EAT THAT! YEAH!" they did a small dance before glancing up and seeing just who they had shot. "Whoa... Trowa... man your good to get up there."  
  
"Usagi. Nice shot, though I'm only partly wet." He gestured to his right side as his left was still mostly hidden behind the trees trunk, "If those were real bullets, I'd still be able to come after you." He said giving her information in fighting that she didn't know, or so he thought.  
  
"Well ya know... I'm glad these aren't real ones 'cause if they are, I'd of hurt you and Mr. Tree there." She smiled sweetly at him, curtsied even thought she wore not a dress, "Thanks for the info, now if you'll excuse me" she turned to leave walking a few paces then stopped, turned around and fired again catching part of Trowa's arm on his jump down. "That's two! YEAH BABY!" Happily yelling as she took off running from the now chasing Trowa who was now wondering how the girl had noticed or heard him up there at all when he made no sound.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
Someone snickered lowly at the yelling's across the vast forest scape that Duo had picked for them to 'play' in. So far her little outburst was two to zero; someone was winning thus far, the others loosing. This was going to be an interesting day.  
  
Shuffling their feet for traction they darted to another tree for cover scanning the area there before repeating the action again, scanning each time they stopped for their enemy. 'What's that?' they looked over their shoulder noticing movement from behind. 'Someone's following me' thinking while rounding the tree staying from firings sight trying to get a better look at who it was. Not being able to see they chanced darting across the land rolling and ducking behind another larger oak.  
  
They watched as the other darted from one tree to the other getting closer and closer to them 'til the person started inching along a small brush line. Smirking the other one came from behind firing off a shot. Thinking quickly they jumped up and over the fire landing five foot away aiming and firing his own shot, it missed. They cursed as the other smirked walking forward careful to stay behind some kind of cover. "Going somewhere?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Pity, I wanted a good chase."  
  
Grunting they started to lunge at his enemy, "Enough talk. Fight." Flying over brush dodging trees he ran as fast as the wind while the other charged him, each raised their guns at the same time, fired, and dropped from the air standing still. Slowly they turned looking at the other, one smirked, and the other frowned.  
  
"Chikusho Heero!"  
  
"Hn." Smirk growing the victor walked away to find another pray leaving the other shouting the injustice of having his favorite shirt-sopping wet.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
"Don't do it!"  
  
"And why not? It's what you do in this game man! Shesh, it's not like we're 'fighting' or anything!" Rolling his eyes he leaned against a tree never lowering his eyes from the enemy.  
  
"But- we're- we are fighting!"  
  
Laughter. "Hey man, a games a game and your goin' down!" Raising his gun slowly pulling the trigger, watching as the facial expressions changed on the other before firing. "WHAT THE!?" Outraged looking around for his once target that wasn't there any longer, "Alright, where'd you go!?"  
  
"Shhh!" he heard someone quieting the other somewhere around him, but the grounds were clear... 'So that leaves the trees!' with that thought looking skyward he studied the trees above him catching the moving leaves and blue from the sky between them but nothing out of the ordinary.  
  
"Hey how'd you?"  
  
"Shh, quiet."  
  
"Sorry." The other watched below him as the longhaired youth searched above him.  
  
"Can we? Hey who shoots first?"  
  
"Doesn't matter, just get him."  
  
Nodded the other quickly and as carefully as he could made his way from one branch to the other before dropping softly to the ground ducking behind a large brush as his pray looked their way.   
  
"I know your there!" he called out staring a minute more before walking away.  
  
"Sure ya do..." snickering the other moved forward sneaking behind them.  
  
"HEEY! WU-MAN!" Duo hollered out seeing his partner coming his way completely forgetting who he was supposed to be 'hunting' for now. "Wow man, your wet! Who got ya?"  
  
Frowning at his 'partners' grin, "Heero."  
  
"Awww is Wuffies mad at poor little Heero?" he laughed edging away slightly.  
  
"Hmph baka-" stopping whatever else he was going to say he looked to a tree then a small brush yards away. Someone was there... two someone's, "Maxwell... who's here?"  
  
"Huh? OH!" Remembering who it was, "Q-man's out there! I had him but then someone or he jumped into a tree or something when I shot, anyhow he wasn't there anymore when I fired."  
  
He nodded, "There's two of them. Trowa most likely."  
  
"Ya think?" Tilting his chocolate brown head sideways watching as Wufei searched the area closely before motioning him to go one way while he the other.  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
'Now where are they? Gee did they have to pick a field this 'large' to play around in? Shesh man...' tripping over ye another stump sticking from the earth she cursed her luck for getting lost - or so she thought - in the small forest like area.  
  
Sure she wasn't much one for leaving the confounds of her home often and thus wasn't quiet used to running around in the forest forgetting 'til it was too late to watch for stumps, twigs and other things laying on the ground for her to trip over. She already had three large scrapes on her knees from the encounters. And now, she was starting to get another, 'At least this time it's a small one.' She thought.  
  
*snap* Her head jerked up at the popping sound alerting her someone, or something of nature, was roaming around close. 'One of the guys? Or is that truly an animal this time?' Readjusting her gun strap holding it closely to her pointing every direction she looked, ready for anything - she hopped - she walked forward.  
  
'There it is again!' Mentally screaming about five minutes later when the snapping sound was heard once again but this time behind her and to the left. 'Whatever it is sure is fast! Wow!' She couldn't hide the admiration this time. She'd never seen or heard something that moved so fast and so quietly before. Usually something always made some kind of sounds when moving at fast speed regardless if it was moving on ground or air, this thing however wasn't.  
  
Leaves rustled to her right, something fell in the bulky brush to her left. Eyeing each direction quickly she rolled to the right jumping up in time to watch a stream of water pass by where she 'was' standing. "That was close..." small giggles passed her lips before firming them into a straight line moving quietly making sure to stay behind something for coverage.  
  
Moments passed with no other noise making the other grow bored as she looked around aimlessly seeing absolutely, nothing. Starting to walk around in a different direction she started to hum the Mission Impossible theme song to herself unconsciously while ducking from tree to tree. "Da da daa da, da da daa da UGH!" Being hit from behind roughly falling to the ground coughing trying to get air back into her poor lungs while fighting the extra weight that now pressed atop her, holding her down.  
  
Flailing limbs and pleas to 'get off of me!' ignored the cold round feeling lightly pressing against her neck. "Quit your whining." Everything stopped at the sound of the voice, from shock, realization or other, they didn't know. After a minute or so it started back up again with renewed energy. "Stop it."  
  
"Get off of me!"  
  
Now the other knew they didn't realize what was against her neck, or who it was - not that he was complaining - this is what he expected would happen if it were he or anyone else. It was smart. "Stop it."  
  
Stopping the struggling long enough to place the feeling of something against her neck, weight on top of her and the sound of the voice her face flushed an almost undetectable pink. "Get off of me ya bozo!" Hands that had stopped trying to remove the then unknown person from her, now searched the grounds for her fallen weapon after placing the feel of what was pressed to her neck; His own weapon.  
  
"No. You're my prisoner."  
  
Her face scrunched up in thought, "Are we allowed to take prisoners?"  
  
His strong shoulders gave a slight shrug, "It's war isn't it?" she nodded, "You have prisoners in war."  
  
"Oh." Silence passed between them while each looked at something other then the one before them, "Sooo... what are you gonna do? Shoot me?"  
  
He nodded, "Hai."  
  
"So go ahead. I mean the guns right there..." he voice sounded far away even to herself as she caught sight of his eyes. Such depths like midnight abyss she could loose herself in forever. 'Whaooo girl! Back up!' her mind yelled at her shaking its head clearing the thoughts, 'He's your enemy now! Shoot him!'  
  
She mentally smirked back, 'Don't have my gun anymore... duurrr...' her other self sweat dropped muttering.  
  
"Come on get up!" He tried again when his other commands went unheeded. It was then that he noticed her eyes held a far away look to them, he shook her. "Stand up" no response, "Usagi!"  
  
"Wha-huh?" she shook her golden mane in confusion.  
  
"Lets get going, it's late."  
  
She nodded but neither made a move to get up, they stayed there, lying on the earthen floor, him above her staring. Was it his imagination - if he had one - or was the distance between them growing scarce? With each second that ticked by the space seemed to dwindle to mere inches. Was it she or he that moved? He knew not; only thinking of how close they were...  
  
'One more move and...' she unconsciously licked her lips moving forward a bit more, 'and we'd...' suddenly the space wasn't space again as her lips were covered in the softest warm feeling she'd ever experienced before; Like soft flower petals brushing against her skin for the smallest moment before removing themselves.  
  
Frowning cutely her lips curving into a pout, she watched him as his eyes flashed of confusion, hesitance, being unsure... things she didn't know the self confident young man above her would ever show, though his face didn't show it, the eyes never lied. She found it cute the way he looked then, smiling a little too sweetly, watching as his mask slid over his eyes again, she reached out boldly pulling his head gently back to hers closing the space once more in sweet bliss.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Take me to Heaven,   
Lets keep it hot,  
Show me the tricks that the Devil forgot,  
Kuhoo... boy you're running,  
You're my love like honey,  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Eyes dazed, mind fuzzy and face flushed three times red she pulled away gazing into his eyes feeling a little more then very giddy at the moment. 'Wow...' was the only thought constantly being repeated within her mind.  
  
'Yeah, okay... I can figure this out...' she tried rounding up her straying scattered thoughts, 'He kissed me first... then I kissed him and... wow...' she giggled. She started the second kiss, that much was true but she didn't expect him to return it as much as she gave, it was like starting a small fire within her that once was a smoldering coal. Now it was a blaze with orange and reds heating her face up nicely.  
  
Giving a goofy smile still not trusting her voice or her betraying limbs she could sense felt like putty, she took his offered out stretched hand gratefully. "Wow..." she whispered sure he wouldn't hear her as he bent over to retrieve her forgotten weapon.  
  
She didn't see him smirk.  
  
The way back was quiet except for the calling of birds she could have sworn sounded like they were whistling at them. She shook her head, no, that couldn't be right, birds couldn't whistle. Oh was she out of it! She had to walk with him having one arm around her waist to keep her steady half the way back. Her face was still nicely tanned pink.  
  
She could start hearing the guys voices, she guessed they were back at the trucks and Duo was up to no good as she heard Wufei yelling out the 'injustice' of something he was no doubt doing. 'Yep that Duo for ya!' She grinned tightening her grip on her own weapon ready for anything the braided one would try once they cleared the tree line.  
  
"Lets go."  
  
"Yeah, yeah! I'm comin' alrea- AAYYIIIEEE!!! COOOLLDD!!" Jumping up and down trying to shake off the offending cold liquid, sending a glare to the stotic faced young fifty paced before her, his face showing nothing, his eyes however held a tiny shine to them. 'That's it...' "YOUR DEAD YUY!"  
  
~ * ~ * ~  
  
Heads jerked up at the yelling "YOUR DEAD YUY!" before there was a growing sound of stampeding feet, brush being shoved aside, trampled on and twigs snapping when one extremely fast, graceful running Heero burst from the tree line like the Devil himself was on his heels.  
  
"Time to leave!" His cold voice snapped leaving the other stumped at him moving so fast when it wasn't a mission or other wise but further stunned - when they shouldn't have been for who he was - when he vaulted over the side of his ten foot bed dropping the gun in the back flung himself through the back window all while grabbing the key from his pocket, sliding into the drivers seat and revved the truck up ready to leave.  
  
"Okay, I think we're missing something here... and why's Usagi glaring at him?" Duo asked eyes sparkling with mischievousness when he noticed Usagi burst forth from the same place Heero had the moment he jumped into the back of his truck, glare placed firmly on her angelic face.  
  
"Yeah, I think we missed something..." Quatre confirmed trying to hide the humor from his voice. Trowa just nodded before quietly suggesting they leave before night fell.  
  
"Come on onna get in there!" Wufei ordered the stubborn girl before him that refused to get in the cab and sit next to the 'baka driver'. That had made him smirk raising a brow to Heero in question but only receiving nothing in return.  
  
Sighing he lifted the light girl into his arms and proceeded to throw her in the cab quickly climbing up shutting the door before she could try climbing out again. "Stay" he ordered not caring if that sounded like he was ordering a dog to do it. He had to deal with Maxwell enough for one day he wasn't about to deal with a stubborn onna as well.  
  
She stuck her tongue out at him crossing her arms.  
  
Heero tried not to smirk at it but his traitorous lip muscles had other plans as they turned themselves up in one corner somewhat.  
  
Usagi smiled catching sight of it, then sighed knowing she had nothing else to wear once they got back, not that her dry clothes were soaking wet because of a nameless baka wearing black and green. But if she got him to smirk a slight smile then it was well worth it. Maybe when she got there she'd call her mom and see about staying the night. After all they didn't have school the next day, and it wasn't like she didn't know these people.  
  
'Well okay, so I really don't 'know' them, but hey, I know them enough to know they won't try anything, ne?' Giggling to herself she sat back relaxed, closing her eyes and let her mind wonder the rest of the ride home. Come morning she wouldn't be able to remember how she had gotten from Heero's truck to a room, changed clothes and tucked snuggly into bed.  
  
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  
5-20-02  
6:53pm  
--- 


	7. Chapter 7: Embarrassing Encounters

Hammer To The Heart  
Chapter 7  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
~ * ~ Next Morning ~ * ~  
  
Usagi awoke with a start not remembering where she was while sleep covered eyes took in the darkened room. Large four-poster bed she semi recognized, Chester drawers by window wall, standing mirror in opposite corner from what she remembered as the closet. "nuhh bed room" groaning, eyes closed and body fell back to the bed. Asleep again.  
  
Hours later azure eyes opened again with a more sleep knowing look to them. She now knew where she was... but how did she get from truck to bedroom, changed and into said bed? Face flushing she realized one of the guys had to of brought her in and changed her. But gods, which one?!  
  
'Alright now... calm down...' slowly sitting up she looked at what she was wearing, a shirt and matching pants set. 'It couldn't of been the others... could it?' shake of her head, 'Iie... it had to of been Heero or Wufei... I was riding with them... only logical right?' a nod. "Right!" Hopping from the large bed Usagi dashed over to the Chester drawers throwing one after another open searching for something more to her taste to wear for the day, then stopped dead.  
  
"Did someone call my mom?" horror started to form on the peach colored heart shaped face, "Oh no! I'm so dead!" grabbing clothes she didn't care if they matched or not she tore from the room, down the stairs into the bottom of the house. Searching several rooms she screeched to a stop at the living room huffing and puffing, her small face pink from the running.  
  
  
~ * ~ Living room ~ * ~  
  
  
'Why does everyone continue to try fighting? Didn't they learn in the first few wars that it doesn't accomplish anything? Only injures more people, destroys more things?' Quatre shook his flaxen head as he read another column on continued fighting in the east. 'One day they'll learn...' he assured himself before flipping the page, having had enough of war to last him three lifetimes.  
  
Next page was the comics. They were good, they were funny and I decided they'd have to be passed to Trowa after he got out of the shower, especially the circus one! Silently laughing while reading I started to get the sensation that someone was watching me but brushed it off. By the time I had reached the back of the paper the feeling had grown to a 'nagging won't go away 'til I looked' type, so finally, I turned to see just who was looking at me if anyone.  
  
I saw Usagi standing there panting for air clad in her borrowed navy blue water with sky blue bubble PJ's. She looked cute in them. Cheeks tented a nice rose color she looked worried about something. "Usagi...?" she just looked at him, "What's wrong?"  
  
"I... Quatre who...?" Was it something that bad she couldn't catch words to form sentences for? "I mean that is... Who changed... call mo- Wow." I watch as she stumbles over words like trying to ask several sentences at once before she cuts herself off, eyes trailing somewhere else. Following them I have to hide the smile forming when I see what they landed on... I knew something was going on! Wait 'til Trowa finds out! Oh Gods I hope Duo doesn't know... Hell will break loose! Allah help us! I have to force myself to laugh mentally, if I laughed aloud, surely the spell would be broken, so I just watch.  
  
~ * ~  
  
'Geez where are they! Not like I'm in major need to get this question answered or anything!' I shake my head running to a different room. 'I'd love to know if I'll live past the time I get home or not. It'd be nice to know that. Very nice. Mom'll kill me if she doesn't know where I've been all night long!' Sliding to a stop at the living room I sigh while taking in breath from the light jog around the mini mansion. How rich are these guys!?  
  
Seeing Quatre sitting there with his hair shining like a beckoning light for a lost person... which at the moment is me. I'd giggle if I wasn't trying to get my breath back... its too early in the morning to be running around like this! It's a crime! Air, air, air... need air... Glancing up from my hunched over position I wonder briefly why he's not looking at me. Then when he does, he's worried about me? What, does my face show worry that easily? Oh, duh, stupid question its me we're talkin' about here, of course it does!  
  
"Usagi...?" he asks, "What's wrong?"  
  
What's wrong? What's wrong?! I just slept in a house I've never been to but once before, with a bunch of guys I don't know that well at all... I don't know who 'changed' me and I don't know if anyone bothered to call my mother to let her know I'm here! And he wants to know what's wrong?! UGH! Guys.  
  
Looking up again into his eyes I've suddenly lost all of the words I wanted to speak. "I... Quatre who...?" I'm stuttering!? Geez, I sound like an idiot... "I mean that is... Who changed..." catch a breath, let it out and try to continue asking the next sentence that hopefully'll come out complete. "...call mo-...Wow." The sentence never got completed when I saw what passed by the kitchen doorway across from me.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Boom Boom Boom,  
Like a hammer to the heart,  
Just one look at you and baby I was blown apart,  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The movement from the corner of my eye made me think again that this house is built kinda weird. I mean you've got the living room by the front hall and it's connected into the kitchen with another door leading from there into the dining room. What kind of house is built like that?? But that was seconds before what passed actually reregistered to my brain.  
  
My eyes immediately snapped that direction to watch as bare chest; black baggy pants clad Heero walked by with his sloppy dark chocolate hair even darker and sagging from the water clinging to it, while he tried one handedly to rub it off with a cerulean towel. 'Wow' indeed! I hope it was him that changed me!  
  
'Whoa girl! Back up now... Better rope those horses in before someone gets hurt!' The annoying voice in my head shouts trying to get my attention, but my attentions lost on the Japanese boy rooting through the refrigerator like nobody's business... and it's not, but doesn't he know people could be watching him?  
  
I feel the heat rise to my already flushed face. Oh why now!? And Quatre's still watching me to make it worse! I know he is, I can feel his eyes on me and I want to look away, but I can't... I knew he was cute that day at the arcade, and in the school uniform... even cuter in his tank top and shorts... but this... Wow.  
  
"Onna what are you staring at?"  
  
Ohh man... why now... why him? I can hear something sounding like a stifled groan with folding paper coming from Quatre's direction at the rude interruption of my Heero watching. I giggled though. Even if I couldn't put a face to the voice, I could put smell to the face. See Mamoru smells like roses, Trowa smells like cinnamon, Duo like lavender and vanilla, Quatre like honeysuckles, Wufei smells like vanilla and jasmine while Heero, Heero smells like the woods, gunpowder and... himself. Sounds weird now that I think about it but its true.  
  
Its too early in the morning, I have unanswered questions and someone's being rude... Silently rolling my eyes I'm thankful Heero hadn't heard or at least looked to catch me staring at him... I really need to get out of here... Planting a sweet smile on I turn to greet Wufei. "Hiya Wuffers!" smile sweetens, "Sleep well?"  
  
Here we go... "Onna it's Wufei! Not 'Wuffers'!" he humphs crossing his arms while taking a seat to read the paper Quatre just handed to him. Me on the other hand keep smiling while half turning to catch a glimpse of Him before leaving for my shower. Surely Trowa's done by now? Doesn't this house have more then one?  
  
I turn, give a short 'epp!' trying to hide the blush that's creeping back up to my cheeks. Ican'thide! Ican'thide! Ican'thide! Runs through my mind while looking into two dark indigo pools staring back at me. He's looking at me! Goddess I've got to get out of here!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Boom Boom Boom,  
Yeah I knew right from the start,   
This was something new, oh baby!  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Has anyone called my mother to let her know I'm here!?" Did I just shout that? Oh who cares! All I needed was the nod from Heero to tell me, yes, someone indeed had the brains to call and let her know I was fine. No doubt she'll have mega loads of questions when I get home. With a small nod back to him I bolted from the room upstairs, zoomed past Trowa almost knocking him out of my way as he stepped from the still steamy room and slammed the door shut listening to the lock click with a sigh.  
  
Great morning. Yep, super...  
  
~ * ~  
  
He needed to leave the room... after seeing that he had to before he did something he'd regret later. Rising to his feet as normal as he always did offering the two still there a smile he left. He barely walked two feet from the doorway before cracking with laughter. It was funny! By Allah the connection between them was strong, one knew, the other didn't. Or did they? It was hard to tell, but Allah that Bunny sure made things interesting!  
  
Quatre made it a few more feet towards the parlor only to bump into a bottom-pant clad Trowa. He laughed even more, doubling over cause of it. Finally making it to the chair with an amused Trowa's help, Quatre collapsed into the welcoming comfort. Sitting there, composing himself so he could tell what was so amusing he wondered why he was laughing so much anyways? It was funny but not that funny. Then why? Was it because of the two people? So different but attracted together anyways? Fate surely had comical sense humor.  
  
At Trowa's gentle tapping of his shoulder he looked up into soft olive eyes of wonder to what could have gotten his friend in that state. Quatre smiled motioning to the forest green plush chair besides his as he started to fill the other in on the mornings events, after which Trowa in his quiet way, would tell of his encounter with the Bunny.  
  
~ * ~  
  
As Usagi fled from the living room to safer territory above it, Wufei cast a look to where she was then to Heero then back to his paper. Wasn't any of his business what a crazy onna did. He didn't want any part of it. He didn't care.  
  
No one saw Heero smirk.  
  
She was cute when she got flustered, he couldn't help it if she did it often, mostly when around him... but what was that all about? He had heard the whole conversation from the kitchen. Senses told him someone was watching him, but didn't look to see whom. Why bother? It didn't matter to him who was watching him dig around in the refrigerator, after all they've been living with one another since the wars ended. He also didn't care.  
  
Minutes later when the sound of Wufei's voice questioned someone, then the strangled noise arising from Quatre's direction. He let his curiosity, an emotion he rarely let show - let along use - get the better of him. Turning he watched as golden hair flew following the heads movement as the owner whipped around to glare at the Chinese ex-pilot, though her face was smiling... a forced smile.  
  
Heero frowned, that didn't belong there, only true smiles. Wait... why did he care? Shaking his head he went back to his wonderings of what was going on before turning around. Why hadn't she been able to get a full sentence out? Was she feeling ill? Her throat might be swollen. Again he shook his head; he didn't care he kept reminding himself. He didn't care.  
  
Yet, was she watching him? Her body posture spoke it, all turned towards him except her upper halve that was currently facing the other boy. Letting a dark brow raise at the thought he about-faced, keeping emotionless eyes on her, waiting, watching for something he wasn't too sure of. When she finally had her bout out with Wufei, turning slightly to look back at him, he fought to keep his itching smirk from showing as shock played over her peach face that was slowly taking on a darker pink. At him watching her or her being caught watching him, Heero didn't know, nor truly care.  
  
That's when she fled, when Quatre left and when he decided what he wanted and left also... smirking...   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Hammer to the heart...  
Hammer to the heart...  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She looked good in the pajama set he picked out for her though.  
  
  
~ * ~ Upstairs two hours later ~ * ~  
  
  
'This is stupid! I can't hide up here forever!' "Tsukino Usagi doesn't hide!" She tried telling herself that, but she didn't move an inch from the bed on which she currently sat for the past two hours. Taking an extra long bath let her think things over. Why hadn't she been able to ask Quatre what she needed to without stuttering? Getting caught on words? She'd never done that before except when talking in front of classes at school. She didn't much like doing that.  
  
And she hadn't caught sight of Heero before then, so why couldn't she get out the first sentence without a problem? Shaking her head she hopped up from the blue covered bed. "I'm just being silly! Its like when I first met- No, no its not like when I first met him... nope, not at all..." with that she grabbed her school bag and trudged downstairs into the living room she fled from two hours prier.  
  
"Hey guys!!" she waved.  
  
"Hello Usagi-chan, have a nice shower?" Something in Quatre's innocent aqua-blue eyes didn't bode well, they held something in them... Trowa and Heero gave silent nods from their chess game in the corner, neither looking up.  
  
"Onna."  
  
Plopping herself down in one of the plush chairs wiggling a bit as her small body was swallowed up by it she giggled smiling. "So... what're we gonna do today?"  
  
"Hn."  
  
"Don't know."  
  
"We could-"  
  
"Reading."  
  
She didn't know which one to take, as the one she was included in on. Reading? No that was solely Wufei's deal. Don't know, that was actually from Trowa - he spoke! The cut off one was Quatre... She was ready to select a schoolbook from her bag to throw at Heero for his 'Hn' comment. Didn't she already tell him to speak English, not Hnish around her? And where was Duo this morning? He wasn't still sleeping was he?  
  
"He's at the park."  
  
"Huh?" Did she hear that right?  
  
Looking up from his 'Legends' book smiling kindly at the cheerful blonde girl Quatre repeated his answer to her unspoken question. "He left while you were in the shower headed for the park. Its odd for him, usually he likes to do things with us, but he decided to 'go out' alone."  
  
"Ah..." she looked down at her lap, "I see... soo... that just leaves us three since stuffy books over there is going to read all day, ne?"  
  
Attention drawn from the game to the smiling blonde, Trowa nodded once then turned back to move his queen forward.  
  
"YEAH!" Bouncing from her seat twirling around Usagi's smile brightened up the room, "Soooo.... Come on! What're we gonna do!? It's a beautiful day!"  
  
"As I was going to say..." Quatre started getting the jumping bunnies attention, "We could go to the carnival."  
  
Usagi cocked her head to the side cutely, "But I thought Duo said something about not taking Heero-kun there?" she thought, "Sumthin' like he was shootin' people with the stands guns?"  
  
Heero smirked moving his rook.  
  
Shooting a glance to said boy Quatre smiled in memory. "Well he wasn't shooting anyone else to say... he was shooting Duo." Listening to her giggles while putting the book away, he stretched, "So... how about it? Would you like to go?" Only Usagi answered him even through everyone knew they were included in the questioning.  
  
"I win." The bare whisper came from the chess area drawing the attention there. If not for the tone it was spoken in, one wouldn't have known who spoke it. Conqueror: Heero. Loser: Trowa... soft clicks sounded as pieces were placed back in order for another round.  
  
The silence, the muted pats as rooks, queens, castles and pawns were placed back in order soon gnawed on Usagi's nerves 'causing her to lash out in a fit of hopping around the room. "Come on! We've got a date to go to!" skipping past the desk she scooped up one sliver of paper heading for Wufei's direction.  
  
"Put the book down Wuffers!" sliding past him, socks on hardwood flooring, snatched the book from his hands "Usagi giv-" ignoring his protests she slid the paper into it, swirled past the bookcase chunking the book unceremoniously onto it, again ignoring the irate Chinese's shouts.  
  
Skidding to a halt beside the chess players, hands on her dainty hips, "Stop it!" Nothing. Taking it to the next step... She started tugging on both boys shirt sleeves "Come on! Stop! Hey-put that piece down!" trying to hold back their arms weren't easy with all the muscles they had pinned against her tiny ones. Being a Sailor Senshi didn't do much for building arm muscles, now leg muscles... She giggled as the others started shooting glances at her, eyes dimly twinkling.  
  
Knowing they thought her attempt to make them quit moving the pieces about was futile Usagi gave up with a puff turning to Quatre and Wufei whom were watching with curious looks. "Well are you going to with us Smarty Pants?"  
  
"I suppose I have no choice in going or not. You seem intent on having my company in your presence..." she arched a brow as he spoke, "Not to mention you won't leave me alone 'til I do, correct?" he concluded his analysis.  
  
A nod, "Yeppers you betcha!"  
  
"Then I shall be going" with that the Solitary Dragon left for his room to change into more... appropriate clothing.  
  
"And you two?"  
  
"....."  
  
"Hn."  
  
"........"  
  
"...Hn." Heero nodded to her as they stood.  
  
She really wished they'd stop doing that around her, "Stop talkin' in Quiet Code! Geez!" Arms flying back to her sides, turning towards a smiling Quatre she smiled. There was just something about this group that pulled her to them. Each one had a certain aura around them, certain mystery waiting to be unfolded... And some, she shot a glance behind her, were just cute to be around.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Boom Boom  
Gotta cravin' for my lovin'  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Can we stop off at my house before going please?"  
  
Tilting his platinum head to the side Quatre watched her curiously before nodding, "I don't see why not, it's not that far from here. It's not a problem."  
  
Usagi clapped her hands together jumping up, "Thanks! I need to change into something else and let Okasan know what's going on. See ya in a bit!" racing upstairs she left them all alone while gathering up her things.  
  
"Are you changing also or going like that?"  
  
"Hn."  
  
"Why bother asking?" resisting the urge to roll his eyes, he to, left to change from his 'good' clothes into his 'doesn't matter if they get messed up ones'. Reaching his room he chuckled, 'Of course' he mused while selecting new clothing, 'with my current state I could afford to buy all the orphanages on L2 new clothing.' Stopping putting his arm through his shirt he smiled, "That's not a bad idea..."  
  
Downstairs the newly regrouped three young men were having a staring contest... At least that's what it looked like to Usagi as she came skipping down the stairs swinging her bag back and forth. Finding it somewhat, funny, to see the boys doing that, she stopped on the last step to watch from the doorway.  
  
No one blinked, no one moved.  
  
Awe started to set in as she wondered which of them would break the mental battle - then Quatre came downstairs "Well shall we go?" effectively breaking off the contest of minds, drawing alls attention their direction.  
  
She didn't mind though, she was going to the carnival! "Hai! Lets go minna!" Ever one to keep with her name sake that her friends keep teasing her of, she skipped her way over to the door where Wufei and Heero were waiting to leave with their jackets thrown over their shoulders. Grinning to them innocently she linked each arm through theirs leading them off, leaving Quatre to lock the house up, having to set pace a light jog to catch back up with the energetic blonde.  
  
~ * ~  
  
Being close to her was doing foreign things to the Perfect Soldiers body. Her mere smile made his skin warm up, the smallest brush of her fingers against him sent tingles up and down his spine, which he fought to conceal. He didn't show emotions, he'd never had any during the war, but since then he'd come to find they were slowly fighting to be free.  
  
Problem was, he didn't know how to show them, know what the others would think. So he stayed the quiet, cold person they all knew and accepted him to be. They've known for years that he wasn't 'cold' per say, it was just his training that made him that way. Somewhere, deep down, there were emotions hiding. They'd all see them someday or so they hoped.  
  
What they didn't know, and he was just starting to figure out... was that being around the high-spirited blonde was setting things off in him he never knew he was capable of. One time when no one was looking he almost smiled, since, he's made sure it stayed a smirk when the urge came. The others were times his lips moved to meet hers. Those times were... he didn't know... his body acted on its own, like his mind had shut down all thought process and maneuvered on autopilot.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Boom Boom  
Send a message to my body  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Heero was knocked from his musings by his jacket sleeve moving, looking down he arched a chocolate brow at the concerned face gazing back at him. "Heero?"  
  
"Hn?"  
  
A sigh, shaking golden locks, "Well I was going to ask what you were thinking about..." looking up wrinkling her nose at him, "...but since you've lapsed back into Hnish again, I'm not going to be nice and ask. Hmph."  
  
Quiet chuckles could be heard from the back of the trio as Quatre and Trowa followed them, listening in politely. She was so cute when she acted childish like that... then again, that seems to be her nature. No matter how old she'll grow to be, she'll always act light and innocent as a child. When she wrinkled her nose at the stoic boy like that, he figured she would have crossed her arms, had they not been laced through both boys' arms.  
  
The Chinese teen turned his amused almond orbs from the bunny at his side to his comrade, silently questioning him and laughing at the same. The girl had spunk. He hadn't seen someone talk to Heero in that manner since Relena-hime and that, he thought, was done out of pure, naive stupidity.  
  
The girl was infatuated with the suicidal pilot ever since he awoke on the beach the day Operation Meteor started. The day he saved her life at the school didn't help the girls liking of him any less, if anything it soared into an obsession of him. Following him to new schools, finding him out on battle fields... It was madness. The onna needed to be locked away or put out of her misery. If not putting her out of her misery for others sakes, then lock her in a nice padded room somewhere where she'd still be able to give her peace speeches for her own.  
  
They had a running bet at one time as to when she'd finally get shot from it all. Needless to say they lost and Howard racked up a nice sum from they're loosings.  
  
Ah yes, the Hime of Sanq was a little goofy... but overall a good person, that was able to keep the Kingdom in peace after the war was won. He held nothing against her; he just couldn't stand to be around when she started in on her 'squeeze the life from Heero' sessions. This onna though... he could approve of having Heero court her, though if ever done wrong to... the Perfect Solider would have four very irate people to deal with.  
  
He watched the bubbly girl go on and on in her ramblings to fill the silence around them. The Dragon admitted he and Heero weren't doing much talking, just nodding every once and a while where needed. Quatre, behind them, put his words into her chatterings.  
  
The part he tuned his ears back into the two sided conversation, was when she was describing what to expect if her father was home. He didn't want to do something dishonorable while meeting her family. If, they met them; there was no guarantee he'd be there, though they knew her mother would be.  
  
"... If O-tochan's home don't worry! He's a real nice guy, just a wee bit over protective..." 'heh that's an understatement!' she wasn't going to tell them that though, she wanted to see how they would act around him, and vise versa. "He really does mean well, but just don't say or do anything that would suggest anything other then 'friends' and you'll have an easy stay." Giggling she winked before dashing off to the front door, "COME ON!"  
  
Once all were assembled behind her, the door opened, she stepped in taking a deep breath, "MOOOMMM WE'RE HOOOMMEE!!" Smiling sweetly she motioned them inside, "In, in, in! Don't worry, no one bites here..." smirking she thumbed over her shoulder to where sounds of game play were coming from, "Watch out for Shingo, I think he has rabies... hasn't been tested yet."  
  
"Usagi-chan is that you?" a melodic voice floated to them from another room.  
  
'Who else do you know comes into a home, yelling their home?' a sarcastic voice wondered in Heero's mind.  
  
"Hai!" Usagi ran off for what they guessed from the smells, the kitchen where her mother stood cooking. "I'm just home to change, drop off this" holding up her school satchel "and let you know we're heading to the carnival."  
  
A raised brow, "The Carnival?" her mother questioned. A pleasant looking woman of five foot three with waist length wavy true blue colored hair. The three could definitely tell where Usagi got her looks and long hair from, but looking at the older woman as she turned around holding the non-threatening spatula she looked... intimidating... almost as if she's used that stance before when she meant business. But the impression faded when she smiled.  
  
"Hey mom!" Hugging her mother Usagi promptly turned to raiding the fridge. "Oh sorry!" Smiling apologetically to the four at the door then her mother, "These are four of the five I stayed with last night!" she chirped bouncing over to them for introductions.  
  
"This tall one here is Trowa Barton! Cute and blonde" she winked "is Quatre R. Winner! This one here with the ever present scowl" smiling sweetly, "is Chang Wufei. And last but not least... my tutor, Heero Yuy!"  
  
"It's a pleasure to meet you all, thank you very much for taking care of my Usa-chan while she was there. I do hope she wasn't any problem to you all?" Getting shaking heads and a smile she turned to the last one, "Arigatou Yuy-san, for tutoring Usagi, she is rather need of improvement in that area. It's a blessing she was able to find someone as smart and cute as you to help her." Oh she wanted to laugh at the blush on her daughter's face and small fidgeting the boys did at that comment.  
  
"Anyone like some fresh lemonade? Just made it."  
  
"No thank you."  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
"....."  
  
"Yes please."  
  
Busying herself with making the glass for Quatre she quietly shooed her daughter up the stairs as not to keep the gentlemen waiting on her longer. "She said 'four of the five'... where is the fifth one?" politely inquiring while handing the glass to its owner.  
  
"Duo left early this morning for the park, so he's not able to be with us now"  
  
"Ohh I see..." she hummed stirring the contents of the pot, "...Well you all are welcome to have a seat and wait on Usagi-chan, I know how long it can take her to get ready." She smiled as they nodded and left for the living room.  
  
~ * ~  
  
Twenty minutes and many discarded clothes later light foot falls were heard as Usagi came speeding down the stairs, reaching the last one she turned right heading through the sitting room, ignoring Shingo and proceeded to the kitchen. She loved the way her house was set up, you could enter one room to reach another without being seen if you so desired it.  
  
Ikuko seeing her enter the kitchen the 'back way' as she referred to it when Usagi was involved raised a brow towards her in question.  
  
"How do I look?" her voice was hoping, but uncertain. Her mother knew then that she really liked one of the sitting out there to be this self conscious. Usually she was changed and out the door without a second thought. She looked lovely in everything, she needn't worry about such matters. But here she was, worrying.  
  
"You look wonderful dear! Knock 'em dead." She whispered placing a kiss to her forehead, "Go on now before your father gets home" a quick nod and Usagi was out of there.  
  
"Okies! Lets hit the road!"  
  
All the guys snapped to attention at the sound of her voice. How'd she get there? She didn't use the stairs? No matter, the thought didn't stay long as they took in what she chose to wear.  
  
Hair styled as always in two odango's held a single strand of red beads wrapped wound them. She wore a white tank top tucked into knee length navy blue shorts. A baby blue butterfly sleeve vest that reached just above her hips, showing some of her white clad tummy, covered her white tank top; black, white and silver high-tops finished her change.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Boom Boom  
Now our love is blown like rocket  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ever wonder... who it was that figured that human beings needed to be able to blush? Usagi was currently pondering this as all eyes turned towards her filled with awe, praise and something else she couldn't quite place. Her face she was sure, had turned two shades of red from on particular, intense stare.  
  
Cold stormy sea eyes flashed with an emotion so quickly, that she couldn't place it before it disappeared again and his arm was offered out for her. "We should get going" his normal monotone didn't sound the same... was that warmth she detected there? No... shake of her head... couldn't of been... I'm just jumping to conclusions...  
  
With nods from the others they left on they're planned outing. Usagi wondered briefly once more what Duo could be doing at the park all by himself. 'Getting into trouble!' Mentally nodded she couldn't disagree with that suggestion. "So how about once we get there..." she started chattering trying to get some form of conversation going.  
  
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  
There ya go Minna! Sorry it took so long to get it out! ::bows:: Its longer then the last one though right? That counts for something, ne? ^_^ Sorry if it seemed that I was babbling about something in one place, I really wasn't it was needed for the story.  
  
So whatcha'll think of it? Please review, let me know how it was. There's only - if all goes as planned - two more chapters to this story. Then it'll be finished! ^__^ So please, let me know what you think about, so I know if I should change something or what not before going ahead with my plans for the last two chapters.  
  
I want to thank everyone whoes stuck with me on this story and reviewed it. (even with a certian screw up on FF and having lost all of them) I really appreacite everyones great revews and sticking with me through this! DOMO ARIGATOU MINNA-CHAN! ^__^ ::bows:: I really hope you'll like the next two chapters!  
  
Ohh yeah, I remember I said something about a sequal to this one... It's a *ONLY IF YOU WANT IT* type deal though. So if you do want one - Review - let me know you want one and possible what you'd like to see in it! I thought of a song eairler today that I could do one to... I can't remember what it is now, but seein' as it's 2am that doesn't surprise me.. I'll remember it. Please, let me know though if its worthy enough to do a sequal to and what you'd like to see in it.  
  
I've gotta get to bed now! ::yawns:: two in the morning... I tried, I really tried to make the ending make sense... if it faultered (the blabbling) I'm sorry for that, it is real late.. but I'm sorry. Hope y'all liked it anyways!  
  
Arigatou! Ja ne,  
  
Anime Redneck  
  
9-19-02  
2:19am  
--- 


	8. Chapter 8: A Carnivals Date

~ Hammer To The Heart ~  
Chapter 8  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
I knew they should've left by now. Mentioning the carnival to Quatre was a good plan for getting them out of the house, besides, that girl Usagi, seemed the type like him, hyper-cheerful all the time. No doubt she wanted something to do. And that was something to do.  
  
Grinning I turned the corner strolling in to vast open grounds of the park. "Now who do we want?" I had a plan; a wicked plan that with all success would have the others in tears over it. But before that, I needed an accomplice. Someone to share the glory, and someone that had the same scheming mind like mine!  
  
There were plenty of couples walkin' around talkin', but nope, I didn't need some mushy couple like that. With my luck they'd nag me about how it was wrong to do what I wanted. "Bah! People like that ain't fun at all" Nope, he needed someone alone and bored, or with someone else that had a mischievous streak just like his was.  
  
Long chestnut braid whipped behind him like a tail in the early day breeze that swirled through the air where he stood searching out and exterminating people for his plan. Violet-blue orbs seemed to dance as the winds movements swayed the leaves above him, shading his eyes, and then shifting to let the sun shine in them. It was then, as the wind kicked up once more tugging at his braid, leaves floating to the ground, that he spotted someone; someone sitting alone reading a book.  
  
'She looks bored.' The way she'd look down seemingly to read then back up again as if looking for something. Obviously she didn't find it 'cause she kept going back to her book, sigh, and do it all over again. Grinning straightening up my jacket, throw the shades back on and we're off! This one was a perfect target for the Duster!  
  
"Hey babe!" I made sure to stop a step behind her, studying her a little more. She looked up questioningly. I took a startled step back, trying to hide it. Nope, I wasn't startled; I was shocked! She looked so much like... but it couldn't be... Shrugging I smile, didn't matter what she looked like, though I did have to figure that one out later! Right now... I need a partner!  
  
"Hey yourself" she smiled looking at him, one hand shielding her eyes, "Can I help you?"  
  
Chuckling I nod, "You can say that."  
  
"I just did." bright smile, "So... whatcha need?"  
  
"Well... I was sort of wonderin' if you'd help me out!" I smiled charmingly, "Ya see I've got this bud and..." launching into his best ever tale of two worlds, motioning with his hands, explained it all to the new girl. "So will ya help? Please?!" He wasn't begging, nope. Duo Maxwell did not beg... not unless he was a point blank range with someone's perfect gun that was.  
  
She looked in thought, "Hmm I don't know..."  
  
"Oh come on! I know you airn't reading that."  
  
Looking from her book back to him, a brow arched in questioning humor. "You do, do you?"  
  
I grinned, "You bet."  
  
"And have you been uhh...?" mimicking her hands to the device in his, "Have you?"  
  
Frowning slighting bringing my right hand holding the black bag up, "What this ol' thing?" shaking his head, braid flying, "Nope, I haven't. Promise."  
  
"Hmm... well in that case...." Taking his offered hand standing up brushing the dirt and grass form her pants she smiled. "I know just who can help!!" grabbing his hand, they were off.  
  
  
~ * @ * ~  
  
  
It was starting to warm up, jackets abandoned in the locker they had rented. Wondering around the fair grounds Usagi took in all the sites. While this fair had been set up for many a year in this location, she'd never actually stopped by to enjoy it. School got in the way, when that didn't it was Senshi business... she was there now, that's all that mattered!  
  
"Space Ship! Ohh ohh! The Farris Wheel!"  
  
Quatre watched the blonde jump around pointing to different rides she wanted to go on. He wasn't quiet that sure on some him self... that Looping Star Ship she wanted to keep riding didn't look appealing... "I wish Duo were here..." he murmured knowing the braided energy ball would gladly go on the ride with her 'til the end of time if need be.  
  
"Onna pick one."  
  
"Hey! There's too many alright?" Smiling her eyes lit up, "Oh hey! Can we ride them all!?"  
  
Trowa's eye blinked, "All of them?" turning his gaze to the rides beyond them, he barely moved as one shoulder rose and fell a fraction. "Ok."  
  
"Honto!?"  
  
This time it was Heero who nodded, still having her arm linked through his. "Sure."  
  
"YEAH!!" she started jumping around cheering. Suddenly she stopped... a thought hitting her as the others started walking again. "Dude... he SPOKE!"  
  
Blinking noticing she was being left behind, started for them waving her arms. "Hey! Hey wait for me!!" they were lining up at the Looping Star Ship, Quatre standing in the back, looking to slip away unnoticed. Usagi grinned, 'Nu-uh big boy...' picking up her speed towards the group she slowed down enough to jump onto the other blondes back, locking her arms around his neck, "Where do you think your going?" she whispered into his ear.  
  
Stumbling from the sudden impact and added weight Quatre wobbled clutching the arms around his neck, the breeze blew through them once more carrying a sent of peaches on it. Chuckling nervously he craned his neck to the side, "Urm... Usagi, what are you doing?" Please don't turn around. Please don't turn around. Please don't turn around...  
  
Smiling patting his cheek with one hand, "Keeping you in place." She answered like it was obvious.  
  
"Usagi... I don't like the looks of this one..." he answered turning his head to watching the guys in front of him. He was safe... so far...  
  
"Sorry Quat, but your goin' with us on the ride!" giggling, her smile widening, grip starting to loosen on him, "Just make sure all change in secure in your pockets and wallet won't come out. You'll be fine!"  
  
He knew it wasn't any use arguing with her, she had that air about her like he had, sweet as a lamb, stubborn as a mule when they put their heads to something. "Alright... alright I'll go!" He heard her laugh before dropping from his back. Lucky thing to because the next instant Heero turned around to look for them, shaking his head Quatre snagged her arm pushing her forward towards the others that were currently starting to board one of the many rows on the ride.  
  
"Hey Heero! Fancy seein' you here!" she laughed climbing in beside him smiling happily. This was going to be a great day!  
  
"Hn." His head jerked forward when she slapped him up side it for the 'Hn' comment. He glared.  
  
Folding arms across her chest Usagi frowned, "If you're going to talk, then say something nice, or don't say anything at all!" A snicker came from the end of their row as Quatre and Trowa sat down, Wufei being the last one there.  
  
  
~ * @ * ~  
  
  
"Guys! Guys!"  
  
Three people looked up from the game they played. "Girl where have you been?"  
  
"Who's the cutie?"  
  
"I thought you were reading in the park?" another tilted her head to the side.  
  
She nodded, "Hai, I was but he" pointing to the boy beside her who was a few inches taller. "Has a favor to ask of us!" She went on to explain the plan, "So? Wanna help?"  
  
"Hmm I don't know..."  
  
"I'm game!"  
  
"Wait!" the one in red waves her hand around, "What about Relena? You said she was following him...?"  
  
He nodded smirking, eyes shinning, "Don't worry about it. Hilde's tailing her as we speak. Her and Noin are keepin' her busy."  
  
"Well then what are we waiting for!? Lets go!"  
  
"Alright, this is what we need..." twenty minutes later everything was gathered, checked and packed ready to go, then they left on their mission.  
  
  
~ * @ * ~  
  
  
"AAAAHHH!!! I GOT BUTTERFLIES!!!"  
  
Quatre frowned harder, griping the pole across his lap for dear life as they came off the roll, "YOU GOT WHAT?!"  
  
"I GOT BUTTERFLIES!" Usagi laughed delightedly at the fluttering in the stomach, every time they went through a loop or dropped from heights she'd never want to walk freely on.  
  
Arms crossed over his chest, eyes taking in the scene before him Heero arched one brown brow curiously at the blonde girl beside him. She was loving up the rides; there was no other way to describe it. The only other person he personally knew to have that much energy and love of life was the braided idiot, which was currently missing out on their 'adventure' as the Bunny, had nicked it. Part of his mind whispered the braided fool was up to no good; the other could care less.  
  
Presently, he glanced around from the high view; they were riding on the *XLT-79. A ride unlike the others where the seats connected with the top of the ride, your feet free to dangle as they would, soul thing keeping you in the free hanging chair was the shoulder-lap bar coming from above.  
  
Watching between the two blondes's proved to be amusing. They were so similar, yet totally different. Where Winner was about ready to scream his head off, Usagi was laughing to her hearts content, arms flaying wildly in the air above her, only grasping the shoulder bars when they rode upside down turning the loops.  
  
Feeling eyes on her Usagi turned her head, smiling widely at the boy beside her. His hair she mused, was even messier then when they had begun this trip, now it looked like a family of fives rats nest. Laughing out loud at that she wondered how easy it was to tame hair like that? The look of it alone spoke of being stiff and thick, yet the way it so easily messed up... reminded her of her own hair. Which, now that her mind was on the subject, she frowned at... it'd be hell trying to get the knots out tonight. But. It was worth it!  
  
Flipping the other Japanese's nose earning a cute glare from him she turned to her left in the three-seater ride, looking over the flaxen haired Arabian. 'Poor boy', she thought noticing his pale hands griping the foam covered bar so hard the black fluffy-stiff material gave way in some places.  
  
Smile widening she couldn't help but feel just a wee bit bad for the boy; she shouldn't have told him this one would be as fun as the last one. Getting that tingling sensation in her tummy as they flew through another loop she laughed. She'd remember to apologize to him she hopped... another sharp turn had her screeching in surprise gripping on Heero's shoulder bar to keep from slamming against her own. Grinning she winked thumping his ear then threw her hands in the air joining in everyone else's cheers.  
  
A minute later and the ride came to a stop.  
  
Pouting Usagi took Heero's hesitantly offered arm helping her from the ride. She wanted to go on it again, but Quatre was running away from her now. He wouldn't talk to her, hiding behind the taller brunet of the group. She didn't do anything! She hadn't lied when she said it was as fun as the other one... deliberately a smile curled her lips, that to the others looked twisted on her angelic face, slowly she chuckled looking from Heero to the other three and back again.  
  
Heero was starting to wonder what was wrong with him. Staring at her like that wasn't normal... was it? He was the perfect soldier, granted he had no war to fight, and didn't change who he was nor years of how he acted. Yet... almost a month around one puny, little girl and he was opening up... he thought... let alone resembling some strange form of gentlemen ship towards her that would have Duo passed out on the floor with. Happily - he used a few free brain cells to wonder if what he was feeling was some kind of happy, or content ness? Duo wasn't there to see any of it.  
  
oOo@oOo  
Boom Boom Boom Boooooom...  
You and your persistence...  
Blew up my resistance...  
oOo@oOo@oOo  
  
Turning his wild haired top that he knew wouldn't be raked back in place with hands alone, he regarded the other three of his comrades. At the moment Quatre seemed to be standing beside Trowa- no scratch that... Was he hiding, behind the European pilot? Narrowing his eyes a fraction is looked that way. What in space was he hiding from? They were in the middle of a crowd, war was over, they were having... fun... nothing to be worried about.  
  
Switching his gaze to the other two, Trowa seemed to be watching him, or Usagi he wasn't sure but his Chinese friend was smirking, eyes adverted over head, tan hands hooked to his jean pockets by his thumbs. Curiosity getting the better of him he looked to the last person at his side, Usagi. And almost let his eyes widen at the look she was giving him.  
  
His Bunny - wait, his? Where the hell did that come from? Was peering up at him, wide blue eyes shinning with a devious light he'd seen too many times to count in a pair of violet ones; that half smile half smirk that crossed her rose lips bring the proverbial icing on the cake. She was up to something... those expressive eyes tried conveying it... But no one ever said he was good at this emotion thing... reading people on the other hand... no problem.  
  
So studying her a scant few minutes later had him nodding in approval. He figured out what she was planning, casting a sidelong glance to the two standing close his stormy blue eyes sparked. "Lets go!" he let the bouncing blonde lead the way this time. Shoulders shaking from not his walking, secretly he couldn't get to the next place fast enough. Behind him he could hear Quatre whispering something to the tall pilot, Wufei walked beside him, while in front of them all, Usagi laughed as she skipped.  
  
  
~ * @ * ~  
  
  
"Move over!"  
  
A lower voice groaned, "Would you *please* get your elbow outta my face!"  
  
"Hey! Hey!" leg kicked, "Lay off the clothes man!"  
  
"Girl, give me that!"  
  
"SHH! Shut up! They're moving!"  
  
Shock, "WHAT!? Follow them!"  
  
Nodding the others listened to the 'leader' of the small group grinning like little kids as they trailed the other group from forty back.  
  
They couldn't believe that they were able to get and what their friend was putting the other boy through. It wasn't so much she was *trying* to do it... it just seemed to come natural to her, she didn't notice it... or maybe it wasn't her, someone wondered, maybe it was just this place. Either way, it was a blast to watch the small blonde run away from his female counterpart. Few had brought up the suggestion they could be brother and sister they were so alike if not for the hair and eye colors.  
  
'Stalking' as someone once pointed out this could look like, the other group they pondered what was next, the Twist a' Whirl? Hurricane? Graviton Hill? Whatever it was, that small bunny was wearing a grin big enough to seal the L2 colony river gap. Running forward braid swinging behind the figure flying forwards as he suddenly stopped, causing the others to slam into him throwing all to the ground, groaning.  
  
"Damnit... who's the wise ass?"  
  
One of the moaning victims rubbed their head, "Wise ass? I don't think anyone said anything you dipnip!"  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Well..." another put in, "you did ask for it, stopping like that for no reason."  
  
Sputtering sounded as the chestnut haired boy helped the pretty young girls up, "Sorra babe, but our mission just halted in front of a new ride."  
  
"OH!! OHH!" Bouncing up and down the blonde looked around catching sight of said ride, "I WANNA RIDE TOO!!"  
  
"NO!" was the unanimous reply.  
  
Pouting cutely, eyes smiling she had to ask, "Why not?"  
  
"'Cause they'd SEE you goober!" The brown headed one chuckled, "We're not done yet, got-"  
  
"WHOA! DID YOU SEE THAT?!"  
  
"WHAT? WHAT!?"  
  
"There watch! SEE!"  
  
No, they didn't see, the figure was in the way again. People just couldn't stay out of their line of sight to get a clear shot! Damn civilians. Quatre was still cowering behind Trowa, Usagi frowning at him, Wufei acting like he was trying not to laugh watching them with Heero. So, what had they missed?  
  
"Oh hell..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Bogie at three o'clock!"  
  
"Oh dear..."  
  
"You're kiddin' me!" the brown haired lass about-faced on the boy, "I thought you said *Hilde and Noin* had her *covered*!?"  
  
Scratching the back of his nervously he nodded, "Ermm... well... They did..."  
  
"Duo..." it was a growl coming from the most unsuspecting of them all...  
  
oOo@oOo  
Boom Boom Boom....  
Like a, hammer... to the heart...  
oOo@oOo@oOo  
  
"Hey!" hands went up defensively, "I'm sorry! I didn't know geesh!"  
  
"Shut up guys!" the blue haired girl hissed as the other group moved closer, "Who's that?"  
  
"Where?"  
  
Pretty n' orange sighed pointing, "There you dork!"  
  
"HILDE!" Grinning wider Duo winked, "We've saved and Queen of the freakin' World's bein' diverted!" Smiles all around they settled in with their equipment watching as the group of five entered the latest ride.  
  
  
~ * @ * ~  
  
  
"You've got to be kidding me..." golden head shook as the boy figure backed up, "No."  
  
"Ahhh come on Quatre! It's fun honest!"  
  
"No." defiant shake, "I refuse."  
  
Smirk, "Don't make me resort to my violent tendencies" her shoulders shook from held in laughter.  
  
Heero arched a brow but said nothing.  
  
"Usagi... I'm not riding it." his voice was firm but confused curiousness laced through it. Violent tendencies?  
  
"Quatre you've got-"  
  
"Excuse me, but are you going to ride or not?" a polite but quick command voice asked, "Others will if you will not."  
  
Opps... Usagi flushed, they were holding up two lines with Quatre's refusal to get on the ride. "Yes, yes..." bowing, "Gomen nasai." The grin that crossed her face was the same that she had flashed the others before going here. "Heero if you would?" She watched from the corner of her eye as Wufei, Trowa and someone else bordered the seats behind them, while Heero after looking at her curiously nodded moving forward to pick the small blonde up ignoring his shouted protests, pulling them both into the seat after Usagi, sandwiching the Arabian between her and himself.  
  
Inside he was near smiling, that smile-smirk of his. So he was her violent tendency? He shrugged, so be it. Not like he minded. He'd do anything to keep her happy... Did he just... think that? Mentally shaking his head glancing at the confusing female he smirked. He had no doubt that she could be violent if someone went that far, but at the same, it would be hard to get her there. She was too happy, too out going to let something bother her easily.  
  
"Quatre stop squirming!"  
  
"Usagi let me OUT!"  
  
The blonde bunny smirked, "Not on your life."  
  
"Uuussaaaaaagggiiiiii!!!"  
  
She stared at him, blinking. By the Goddess was that a wail coming from the richest boy on Earth's mouth? Usagi giggled making sure her odango's were tightened for this ride. "No."  
  
Quatre frowned ignoring the chuckles coming from behind him and glared at his two 'captives'. "Let me off of this ride NOW!" His face was doing a marvelous job of a chameleon switching color between pale and bright pink. "Or I swear I'll-"  
  
"You'll what?" Heero challenged rather enjoying the usually placid boy's break down. He'd have to give the other something in a surrender present type deal later for their wracking his nerves like this, but... he had to admit it was rather amusing.  
  
"I'll make you and her" he pointed smugly towards the other blonde, "Sleep the in the same room!" He liked that threat... though; it was more of a promise. No doubt the two liked each other. And besides, another part of his mind smirked; it'd make them as uncomfortable as he was now.  
  
Looking at one another the two in question shrugged. They would handle that. Usagi choose to be the spokeswoman for them, "So?" eyebrow arched.  
  
Uh-oh... his had a hole and was starting to sink rapidly as the others of the ride loaded up. Umm... what now? What now? Ah! "...For a week!" How he could actually manage to pull that one off with school and getting around her mother... he didn't know, but by Allah he would do it!  
  
Heero quirked one dark brow at the Bunny questioningly. Personally he knew he could resist the temptation - 'You hope' - he ignored that pesky voice and nodded. He could do it.  
  
oOo@oOo  
Boom Boom Boom baby,  
Like a, hammer... to the heart...  
oOo@oOo@oOo  
  
Smiling Usagi shrugged didn't matter to her what the other tried nailing her with. She could handle anything he threw at her... she nodded, Yup, anything... Anything but... Heero Yuy. Brushing off the snickers that came from one caramel skinned Chinaman she eyed Quatre then Heero. Well... if Heero could take it... then she supposed she could too. All she'd have to do is keep them busy and apart, ne? That way no near kisses like with studying would happen... ne?  
  
Laughing at herself she nodded. "Got your self a bet mister!" slowly that evil looking smirk spread across her face, "But don't expect that to getcha out of any other rides today!" With that and a wink she threw her hands in the air while Quatre screamed as the three-by-three seater ride shot backwards at speeds one usually went while coming off a low drop.  
  
"Oh Allah save MMEEEEEE!!!!!"  
  
Wufei smirked for once throwing his hands in the air as well, "WINNER YOU'VE GOT ISSUES!!" He was actually managing to have a little fun this day and while he didn't particularly get along with onna's... this Bunny knew how to have a fun time. He was actually... 'loosening up' as Duo would say.  
  
  
~ * @ * ~  
  
  
'Damnit he's gonna kill me!' A mantra of, 'I'mdead. I'mdead. I'mdead.' kept repeating in one girls mind as she wondered the fair grounds looking for her lost charge. Somewhere between the Sky Screamer and Tilt O' Whirl, she had lost her.  
  
"Yep, I'm gonna die if she finds her way towards them. Definitely." She murmured looking around her eyes after scanning the area near her thrice over landed on a sandy blonde haired head. Eyes narrowed as she watched the figure start moving towards one of the shortest rides.  
  
'Oh no you don't!' whipping around the girl took off dashing between couples excusing herself as she went. Stopping few scant feet behind the other, she took a few deep breaths trying not to appear rushed. Wouldn't do any good to let it known she was trying to keep tabs on the other girl.  
  
"Relena-sama?" she questioned keeping her voice steady and calm.  
  
Turning from staring at the two rides, her thoughts shaken the slightly taller girl smiled, "Hello Hilde! Where have you gone to?"  
  
Making sure to keep her smile in place and mentally logging the promise to ring someone's neck, Hilde waved a hand, "Oh you know... got lost in the crowds! Dang people wouldn't stop pushin' me around y'know?"  
  
Giggling the wheat blonde nodded, "Yes, they do tend to be in ones way here, don't they?" Relena turned away from her friend to look at the ride now loading up. "Hilde... do you know where the others went to?"  
  
"Umm..." stepping beside the other, the dark violet girl thought on that one before answering. There were three groups she could answer with that one. Two, she had no clue where they were hiding and the other one... was currently boarding the ride she stared at. Uh-oh... "No, I'm not sure where they're at. Sorry." Okay so it wasn't a complete lie.  
  
"Oh..." she had thought she saw... "Hilde... is that Heero over there?"  
  
At the happiness in the young Hime's voice she sweat dropped directing her gaze that way. With a mental nod she agreed, it was indeed, Heero and the others. But like hell she was going to tell the Heero crazed girl that! "No... No, I don't think so..." Hilde almost wanted to laugh as the Hime's face fell turning away from the ride, but she stayed to watch. How could she not with all the yelling and cheering going on from it? And among them all, seemingly the loudest, was Quatre's high-pitched voice.  
  
The ride she noticed was called ** 'Grease Lightening', it happened to be the fastest and shortest ride in the whole park. Quatre's screaming had some merit to it she reckoned. The boy was horrified of rides like those, never having been on them before. And this ride in particular...  
  
It took off like lightening - backwards, several yards before going into a loop and climbing a tower of sorts with the left over force of the loop. Hangs there for about three seconds before it plunged back down thru the loop, shoots past the loading dock faster then it takes off. Speeds thru a second loop, hangs at that towers top for another three seconds and dives back thru the loop and pulls to a jerking stop back at the loading dock.  
  
It was quite the ride if you liked speed. They named it properly.  
  
"Come on Relena-sama, let's go find a fun ride!" Hilde hopped over grabbing the other lass' arm before skipping off. She was happy about finding a ride to get on, and secretly ticked off at one pointed onna for not being there when she was supposed to be watching this WITH her!  
  
Yes, she was gonna get her revenge on Noin...  
  
Relena smiled after her friend shaking her head. She couldn't help but think that truly was Heero getting on that ride... and with another girl at that! She'd find him soon; she knew he was here...  
  
  
~ * @ * ~  
  
  
"Pssst! Hey!" they were ignoring her, "HEY!"  
  
"WHAT!?" Duo grinned, "Damn your voices loud chica! Keep it down your drawin' a crowd."  
  
He was kidding, she knew he was kidding, but she was gonna kick his ass if he kept ignoring her! "Duo... I swear I'll- Minako shut up!"  
  
Not helping her snickers the sunny blonde looked up innocently, "Who me? What've I done now?"  
  
"You're laughin' at me!"  
  
"No, no my dear." Wagging a finger playfully her smile only widened, "I'm snickering at you Mako-chan, there's a difference."  
  
"No there's not." Came the voice of reason.  
  
Minako sweat dropped turning around, "Ami-chan you're really not helping any."  
  
The blue-headed lovely only smiled sweetly.  
  
"Girls! Girls! I know I'm great an' fabulous guy, an' y'all love to fight over me, but come on! We've got a mission to get too! They're moving!" the only boy there grinned.  
  
Everyone around him arched a brow questioningly, one chocolate haired girl managed to glare at the same making him sweat drop. Okay so they didn't like a comedian, no need to stare him to death!  
  
Pointing his finger away quirking his own brow got him smacked up side the head from the tallest of the girls there "Baka" before she grabbed the black pouch from his hand and strolled off, the others following.  
  
  
~ * @ * ~  
  
  
"Onna come on!"  
  
"Fei damnit stop pullin' on my arm!" the Bunny complained, "Your gonna pull it from the socket!" She wanted to get to the other ride too, but this was ridiculous! Ohhh if she only had a camera though! There'd be blackmail pictures in town that's all she had to say on that one. He was dubiously lucky Duo wasn't on this trip; he'd have a field day with it!  
  
"Onna!"  
  
"Usagi!"  
  
Now she was getting yelled at again. "I'm coming! I'm coming!" These were her emotionally challenged boys right? No one switched them on her? Laughing she linked her other arm with that of Heero's and drug him and the Chinese towards the newest ride attraction. ***'The Joker.'  
  
"Usagi please..." they were nearing the ride; he had to try.  
  
Glancing a shot over her should Usagi smiled at Trowa. Such a nice boy; had a firm grip on her little Arabian friend so he didn't get away from them. Grinning she wagged her fingers at him from under Heero's arm.  
  
He looked pitiful if she ever saw one. "Aw now Quatre dear" smiling secretly at the glare she got from the taller boy beside her, "you know I can't let you go... Er, well... Trowa can't either." She got a slight smile from the Amazon.  
  
"...Usagi..."  
  
"Now, now, you'll just have to try and start liking the rides like ol' Fei here has!" winking at the blonde, "You did, after all, suggest coming here. Shouldn't have if you didn't like the rides." With that and one last Tsukino Usagi smile she pulled the two on her arms off skipping into the waiting line.  
  
Glaring Quatre started mumbling something about killing a certain longhaired braided idiot for suggesting something like this time. Death he was, well death he was going to be!  
  
Trowa smiled tugging on the shorter man's arm.  
  
"Okay! OKAY!"  
  
Everyone watched Usagi bounce up and down between the two Orientals, they were next in line and it seemed... they're Bunny had a plan of action... so to speak.  
  
It was great! A ride that actually had fiver person seating! Well... glancing around Wufei she corrected herself, standing. All five would be able to be on the same row! "Alrighty listen up!"  
  
"...What now?"  
  
"You wanna sit on the end mister?!" Evil grin back in place, "That way no one'll catch ya if you fall out."  
  
Hearing the threat, even knowing it wouldn't happen - him falling out, still caused the small boy to shake his head mutely.  
  
"Good, 'cause if you don't change that tune of yours I'm gonna arrange it!"  
  
He nodded his head in submission. She was starting to scare him.  
  
"Good" Usagi laughed bouncing around some more. "'Kay we got Fei first, me, then Heero and Quatre and Trowa brings up the rear. That okies with everyone?"  
  
They nodded.  
  
Heero quirked a brow looking down at the girl beside him, his mind couldn't help but point out how that arrangement was usually how one planed way of entry into a base... almost...  
  
And Usagi smacked him upside the head.  
  
Quatre grinned suddenly. How many times was that today? Three? Four? Curiousness was setting in at how many times she could get away with hitting him like that. She hadn't even his Wufei for his 'onna' comments yet. But had hit the Perfect Soldier three times already!  
  
"Hentai! Get your head outta the foggy clouds and back to earth!"  
  
"Please board the ride. Being careful of gap between ride and dock. Once situated please strap the buckle and wait for the shoulder bars to descend. Arigatou."  
  
Hearing this they quickly hopped over the four-inch gap in the order Usagi had planned. Despite her planning though, they would have been sitting in that order anyways unless someone decided to switch with someone else.  
  
While the others fumbled with the belts Heero leaned over to help Usagi's with hers, his hands making quick work of it he stayed where he was. Moving closer, his mouth next to her ear whispering lowly, so close, she could feel his hot breath send tingles down her spine, her face flushed as she nodded.  
  
oOo@oOo  
Boom Boom Boom,  
Like a hammer to the heart,  
Just one look at you and baby I was blown apart,  
oOo@oOo@oOo  
  
Rich rumblings came from the back of his throat as he pulled away sending her heart jumping into her throat with a wink before the shoulder bars came down and the ride began. 'He was laughing at her!' Was the soul thought in her hyper reeling mind while the ride slowly climbed the first of many drops and loops.  
  
"USAGI!! I'M GOING TO-AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!" they went for the first loop cutting the Arabian's words off with his screaming. Usagi joined him on the next drop.  
  
  
~ * @ * ~  
  
  
"OHH! OHH! LOOKIE! LOOKIE!"  
  
"What'er you yellin' for?" an annoyed voice questioned; she'd been yelling at things for the last five minutes!  
  
"I think Heero just kissed Usagi!"  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"NO WAY!"  
  
The blue haired girl smiled, "Don't look at me, only time will tell."  
  
"Please... please tell me you got that?"  
  
She smirked.  
  
"YEEESSSS!!!!"  
  
"Girls, girls! Chill!"  
  
"Duo..." Makoto glared playfully at him.  
  
Looking around nervously the braided boy knew something was going to happen and soon if he didn't get away from her.  
  
"This was your plan..." the blonde started in.  
  
Pretty n' blue advanced, "And we were so kinda as to assist you in this concoction..."  
  
"We've got lotsa stuff on 'em!" Minako chirped grinning.  
  
"...And now..." He started backing up unconsciously, four onna's looking at him as if he was they're pray was... scary... "WE WANNA RIDE A RIDE!"  
  
That was it? Wiping the sweat from his brow Duo smiled charmingly, "Well then lets stash this stuff and hop on a ride!" Rides he could do, besides he had a tracker on the others. "So which one will it be?"  
  
"Shotgun Swings."  
  
They blinked. The swings? "Cool with me, lets go!"  
  
While walking toward the ride of choice the group idyll chatted on what they were planning to do after this way was over. With the collected material and the sort. Some had good views, others, well... lets just say they had room to grow.  
  
Walking and talking Duo didn't notice Minako's stopping 'til he rammed into her back causing Makoto to hit his loosing her balance. Acting quick Duo apologized reaching out for her hand saving her from the fall.  
  
Makoto blushed at the gesture. As common as helping someone was to her, having him help her made her... feel different. His smiles always seemed to be brighter when directed her way, his eyes twinkling. Of course... her logical half tried saying it was because the boy was beyond mischievous, yet, the other side whispered of something else. What exactly... was happening to her?  
  
"Mako-chan... hey you alright girl?" Minako's concerned voice shook her thoughts.  
  
Shaking her head she smiled seeming a bit unsure, "Huh? Yea... yeah I'm fine thanks."  
  
oOo@oOo  
Boom Boom Boom,  
Yeah I knew right from the start,  
This was something new, oh baby!  
oOo@oOo@oOo  
  
Chuckling Duo hauled her completely upright smiling "Good to know." She could only nod to him. His eyes started to sparkle again, he moved closer only so she could hear once the others started walking, "You're cute when you blush." Laughing he ran.  
  
Arching her chocolate brow in amusement, she once again found herself shaking her head at the boy. He was... something else, something unique she found drawing... was this what Usagi had over that one boy? Slowly smirking she vowed to find out... and get revenge Senshi style!  
  
"HEY WAIT FOR ME!!"  
  
  
~ * @ * ~  
  
  
"Can we go on another ride please?" smiling shakily the blonde smiled, "Maybe one a little slower this time?" Her was still a mess from the last one, quite atrocious.  
  
"Hai Relena-sama" Hilde hid her smile looking for another ride when a familiar head caught her eye... two familiar heads to be precise. Nudging the other girl Hilde smiled outwardly while inside she was smirking thinking evil things.  
  
"Relena-sama, why don't you go get some ice cream and meet me at that bench? I just saw someone I need to speak with. I'll be right back!" Not waiting for a response she tossed the young Hime some money and ran.  
  
"NOOOIINNN!! YOU'RE DEAD!"  
  
Some distance away said person groaned blanching at the meeting to come. She'd been found. Her day of fun was coming to an end and she'd be once more forced - though this time as a favor, to watch over the Sanq Hime.  
  
She turned, "Hilde."  
  
"Don't you 'Hilde' me! Where've you been!?" short and mad fumed waving her hands about, "You're supposed to be watchin' that chica with me! Not leavin' me alone with 'er!"  
  
"I'm sorry Hilde... I-" there really wasn't an excuse besides wanting to get away which she thoroughly knew the younger girl was searching for a way to do. But if they left the Sanq Hime alone then there was a change she'd run into that unsuspecting group of people.  
  
Said unsuspecting group of people currently had no idea what so ever that the Hime was currently in the same vicinity.  
  
"...just wanted to get away..." Hilde nodded knowingly, "I know, trust me, I know. BUT, we've gotta keep an eye on 'er! She wasn't even supposed to be here!"  
  
Noin nodded looking around, "Where...?"  
  
"Ice cream."  
  
"Ah... good thing then..." nodding towards the booth the older woman picked up her pace, "How did we let her get here anyways? Do you remember?"  
  
A snort, "Or do ya mean, 'How'd she find out Heero was to be here?'"  
  
"Yes, that too."  
  
"Honestly? I have no clue."  
  
"Well lets do this then..." Noin sighed.  
  
Grabbing the others arm before she could make a move Hilde pointed to the left where a group of people stood waiting in line. "Is that... who I think it is?" her eyes twinkled.  
  
"Who?" Squinting her eyes from the afternoon sun lilac orbs glittered in playfulness. "DUO!" She'd never been so glad to see someone in all her time. If he was done with his 'mission' then...  
  
"Lets go get 'im!"  
  
"Hilde! We can't! What about Relena? You know darn well that Duo never goes anywhere without one or the other pilots!"  
  
Frowning at the out ranking Preventers logic the shorted lass stuck her tongue out when a thought struck her. "Okay, alright, I can play that... But!" pointing a finger joyfully, "When has Mr. Shinigami ever been seen around the guys with a group of girls??"  
  
"Good point."  
  
"So lets GO!"  
  
As one they ran. As one they yelled, "DUUUOOOOO!!!!" They be damned of watching the Sanq Hime on their own. Their mission giver was going to join in the fun until the mission called again. Both smirked at Duo's shocked look.  
  
Thus, a new plan began...  
  
  
* * * oOo@oOo@oOo * * * oOo@oOo@oOo * * * * * oOo@oOo@oOo * * *  
  
  
* XLT-79 - Is one FUN ride to be on! You're feet don't really hang like that. -_- Be really neat, but no they don't. They're actually in the little folded up part of the seats like the other rides have, it's knee high, but it (the ride) DOES hang from the railings at the top instead of the customary 'bottom attached' rides. Really neat one!  
  
** Grease Lightening - We have this ride and the 'XLT-79' here in Houston. It really is one of the fastest in the park and is the shortest one. Real fun to keep going on this one again, and again, and again... heh besides the 'Texas Cyclone', this is the only other ride my best friend and I'll go on at least ten times in a row before moving to a different one. ^_^ Key is, ya gotta get there early in the mornings... ^_~ Or, just be REALLY patient.   
  
*** The Joker - As in Batman and the Joker... know y'all've bound to have heard of this ride. heh It's a fun one! The seats are like bicycle seats and you stand up thru the whole ride. ^_~ IF you've got it, should try it!  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Oi Mnna-chan!! Whatcha think? Didja like it!? Huh? Huh? Please ya gotta tell me! I had one hell of a rough but fun time writing this one!! ^__^ After getting past the first like.. oh say ten pages and running ideas on what to do, it came pretty easy. Was hard tryin' to get it started, but guess what? I FINISHED IT! ::laughs grinnin'::  
  
Only one more chapter to go now! HTTH9, I'm hoping will be just as long (a whooping 22 pages) but eaiser to write and get out. I'll have a loll in there between that (HTTH9) and the starting of the sequel, but while I'm on that...  
  
If you've got ANY IDEAS for what you'd like to see in the sequel, then either stick them in your reviews, or IM me or e-mail them to me! I'm not sayin' I don't have anything to base the sequel off of, 'cause I do. But since this is a *if you want one* type deal. I wanna hear what y'all have to say on it.  
  
So PLEASE by all means REVIEW and let me know what you thought of this chapter and your thoughts on what you'd like to see in the sequel.  
  
Arigatou gozamasu & Ja ne 'til next time! ~ AR  
  
Start - 12-02-02  
Finish - 2-06-03 . . 7:03pm  
---- 


	9. Chapter 9: A Carnivals Date Final

Hammer to the Heart 9  
  
2-10-03 ~ 6-13-03  
  
By: Anime Redneck  
  
.  
  
~oOo@oOo~  
  
.  
  
Hilde was enjoying herself with the others. After sneaking up as much as they could yelling his name like a bunch of banshee's, having a great laugh at Duo's expense. The tallest of girls recovered from laughing enough to help the shocked braided boy up from his fallen spot on the ground, ears still ringing from the yell.  
  
He tried to glare at the girl he honestly did, but seeing the look she and the other woman were giving him, the 'innocent look' he couldn't keep it trained on them anymore cracking his face with a mile long grin. He had asked how they were, where Relena was and introduced the girls with him as his lackeys.  
  
That was until the Fiery Priestess reared back and whacked him good on the back of his head. "I like her" Hilde had commented getting a grin from the raven-haired young woman. They'd come fast friends.  
  
The dreaded task ahead was meeting up with Relena... sad they just couldn't leave her on the bench and walk among the crowds. But... the Sanq Hime hadn't ever done any wrong to them - blowing their cover granted - and 'cause of this fact, they could not in good conscious leave her on her own.  
  
"Hiya Lena-san!"  
  
The cheery voice, the only one that did not regard her as 'Relena-sama' brought the sandy haired Hime from her thoughts. Looking up she fixed him with a smile bright as the sun, her eyes though, glared at him. "Hello Duo, how are you today?" She'd be damned if she let it show though.  
  
"I'm great thanks!"  
  
Darn, he wasn't fazed. He never was. Eyes loosing the glare she just smiled. It wasn't that she didn't like the boy. Oh no, Duo Maxwell was a hard person not to like; he just had that karma around him that drew people towards him, making them like him. Unless of course you were on the wrong side of the law and then it would pull wool over your eyes making him seem innocent to you... then the next you knew, your life was slipping away from the fatal mistake.  
  
No she, Relena Peacecraft did not not, like the boy. She disliked him ever so much for spending time with her Heero. He was always there, watching, laughing, and teasing. Most of all... getting *reactions* from him! Sometimes more then just the Japanese boy's life threats.  
  
While she, got nothing.  
  
Yes it irked her quite a bit. But... she was a young woman of stature, pose, dignitary and royalty. Patience and calm were her middle names; she'd get what she wanted in due time. Shaking her head from idle thoughts she noticed the braided one was not alone, having four other companions with him that were not the fated four whom saved their small corner of the universe.  
  
"Duo, whom are your friends?" a brow arched ever so slightly.  
  
"Yea dork! Introduce us!"  
  
Duo frowned, "No need for name callin'!" But laughed anyways. "Relena Peacecraft, allow me the honor to introduce four fine, gorgeous ladies to ya." Throwing a wink their way he pointed to each going through their names and throwing in small bits about them. Like for instance, Minako's being the 'love goddess in training' or Makoto's being the 'Greatest Chief in the West' and so forth.  
  
Relena bowed to them all, "It's a pleasure to meet you all." An un-Relena like grin spread across her planes, "I'm sorry you had to meet Duo here... he's quite the idiosyncratic character at times, is he not?"  
  
"Hey! Hey!" he protested, "NO using words I don't know!!"  
  
Snickering the girls only smiled knowingly at the sad boy. "It's alright Duo... you'll learn what it means... one day."  
  
Crossing arms over his muscled chest the American frowned, "That is so, not cool."  
  
Turning her gaze form the teasing girls Relena once again smiled, "Noin! What a pleasant surprise to see you here!" tilting her head to the side in wonder she asked, "Noin... what *are* you doing here?"  
  
"Erm well..." the good Lieutenant had the grace to blush, light pink hue only adding to her natural beauty. "I actually... lost someone in here and was... looking for them M'am."  
  
Raised brows from three people, "Who?"  
  
"Well..." Why were they doing this to her? That was it, he was going to die next time she saw him. Just had to ditch her when he saw Hilde coming for her... ohhh that little... "Your brother M'am... Zechs."  
  
"Ahh..."  
  
"Ohhh so *THAT'S* why you weren't with m-mammph!"  
  
Slapping his hand over the smaller girls mouth Duo smiled. "Sorry Lena-san, she's got this obsessive talking disorder that lets her say the stupidest of things at times, y'know? So don't mind her really." Pointedly looking into the gabbering girl's eyes sending his message. At her obedient nod he released her.  
  
"I see."  
  
"Sorry Relena-sama" Hilde glared at her 'brother'. She'd get him for that, just you wait and see...  
  
"Duo" attention suddenly focused on him once more, "Where's Heero?"  
  
Ohhh boy... he knew that was coming sometime. Now what to say... what to say... "Out." Oh yea, *smart* Maxwell!  
  
"Out? Out where?"  
  
Umm, that was a good question. The girls were watching him now; eyes sparkling in amusement while the braided genius tried getting himself out of this one. Their targets were getting away. "He's out at the... at the park! He said something about playing ball there earlier!" Okay, not the best, definitely not the brightest, but it *was* plausible!  
  
"Oh." Relena didn't know if that was true or not, but the braided fool didn't lie, it wasn't in his nature. So maybe Heero was out at a park, and maybe he was playing ball... But her sources told her he was *here* in *this* park! "I see."  
  
Makoto watched him curiously. Something nagged at her, didn't seem to combine with what she already knew, so doing the best she could without being noticed the tall lass caught the boys attention mouthing 'Playing ball?' arching a brow.  
  
Smirking he shrugged, 'Why not? It could happen!'  
  
Tilting her head towards one of the rides she finally conceded to his answer after some thought. So he wasn't truly lying... A. They were at a park and B. you could 'play ball' at this park. So in those ways Duo's butt was saved if Relena ever ran into Group A. She chuckled grinning towards the others. That was something she'd love to see happen.  
  
"What are you grinning at Mako-chan?"  
  
Facing the inquisitive eyes of one Ami Mizuno, Makoto smiled waving it off, "Nothin' chica, I'll tell ya laters" wink "Promise."  
  
"Alright then." The quiet girl turned to face the others who were milidy chatting with one another. "Excuse me Minna-san... But are we going to ride some rides?"  
  
"Or are we gonna sit on our ASSist all day and TALK!?" Minako laughed already taking off forming one long chain of girls leaving the other four behind.  
  
"HEY! NO FAIR!" twin cries came from Duo and Hilde, each grabbing another persons arm before giving chase.  
  
"LLLLOOO~SERS!!!!"  
  
.  
  
~ * @ * ~  
  
'  
  
"Trowa, your lover boy seems to be shaking... I think he needs you to hold him." Usagi giggled watching the poor pale youth being helped from the ride. It wasn't her fault he didn't like the rides. 'The Joker' was one wicked ride! A great adrenalin rush, got your blood pumping, you screamed even if you tried not too. Some of the drops and loops they had went through... she shook her head, were wicked cool! And if the girls had been with her, she knew they'd keep going on it, but not wanting to scare the Arabian more then she already has... choose to move on to something else.  
  
"Usagi... not funny..."  
  
Opening her mouth to reply to that comment she was cut off by a humored, "Yes it was" from her right. Head snapping in that direction she stared past a smirking Heero to the Chinese boy who seemed on the verge of grinning and laughed to herself.  
  
Goddess above if people this war hardened were turned to kids for a day at an amusement park they should make it free! There was such a drastic change in the boys she met almost two weeks ago. Had known were in her school for a while now... it was... well, amazing.  
  
"Chang..."  
  
Wufei smirked, "Winner."  
  
"Children..." fringing disappointment Usagi glanced between the four of them wagging a finger, "I can't believe your behaving like this. We're gonna have to sit all of your disregarding rear ends in the time out corner if you can't handle the fun."  
  
One previously decided sexy brow rose on her Asian friend, said friend's eyes were twinkling with something hidden in their depths as he considered her. Turning behind him as Trowa and Quatre backed off the ride he smirked to the Chinese, who nodded back, before turning back around and hefting the lightweight onto his shoulder in smooth motion.  
  
Surprised shock shone in wide sapphire orbs before she finally gave a loud, "EEECKKKK!!" banged half heartedly on his muscled back, "LEMME GO! LEMME GO!"  
  
"No can do."  
  
"HEERO! Put me DOWN!" her voice demanded the action now, but her laughter betrayed her.  
  
Quatre grinned, the expression looking as incompatible on him as it did on their Bunny, "Justice!" he cheered hanging onto his now exposed love's arm. He thought they hid it so well too... He mused it must have been Trowa's glaring.  
  
"Where to now?" questioned the Dragon as he slowly crept up to the Japanese's right side, eyes watching the potato sacked Bunny with mirth.  
  
"How about-"  
  
Once again she was cut off by "FOOD!" from Quatre.  
  
Sighing she mumbled, "Not what I was going to suggest..." but she was starting to get hungry. How long have they been there now? Definitely time for lunch.  
  
"What was that oh captured one?"  
  
Wufei's voice sounded off, somehow... trying to look around her body found she couldn't see him. He was walking too much in front of Heero... "Oh nothing... ya know... just yackin' to myself and all!" throwing a hand bouncingly into the air swirling it around for emphases. In like with what the Braided Baka was known to do when being annoying goofy.  
  
Nodding the Chinese slowly looked to Heero, then the two in front of them and back to the Asian teen. At his companion's arched brow Wufei merely shrugged innocently - a notion that didn't pass well - and turned his attention to the feet dangling to his left. A decidedly wicked gleam entered those darker then night eyes as one arm lifted, fingers stretching out to gaze along one peach tanned foot.  
  
Heero shot a glare to the youth as Usagi twitched going still.  
  
Wufei smirked back, reaching out again.  
  
"AAAAHHHHAAAA!!! NNNOOO!!" snorted laughter cut trough the air like a hot knife through butter, so sudden was it.  
  
Finally realizing that his comrade was up to Heero smirked as well, small chuckle rumbling in his chest.  
  
"Hey s-stop!" giggling insanely the poor blonde bucked kicking her foot hitting something before bursting into another fit of laughter. "Damn it STOP TICKLING ME!" A wild kick had something snapping, her head jerked frantically enough to see who the menace was. "WUFFERS! STOP IT!" another kick, eyes squinting trying not to see the people staring at her. A light blush tinted her already reddening face, "Just WAIT 'til I get down MINSTER!"  
  
Chuckling Wufei wisely moved away from the widely kicking feet speeding up his walk to be with the other two as they neared the food courts.  
  
Shaking his unruly mane Heero let a rare feature cross his face while slowly letting the blonde odango'd girl down from his shoulder. "Usa..."  
  
"What!?" Glaring at the taller boy Usagi frowned cutely at him. He had the nerve to carry her as if she was nothing else then a bag of flour and THEN Wufei goes off and TICKLES her! Granted she was wearing open toed sandals but still! And THEN-! She blinked. Was Heero's voice...?  
  
.  
  
oOo@oOo  
  
Boom Boom Boom,  
  
Like a hammer to the heart,  
  
Just one look at you and baby I was blown apart,  
  
oOo@oOo@oOo  
  
'  
  
Feeling something around her waist she jumped a little, small "EEP!" escaping her lips before her head snapped up to stare at the boy beside her. He was watching her, his eyes shimmered with something she couldn't quite place... yet they were, softer looking... and, as she let her gaze drop lower... he was smiling! Lower still found it was his arm around her waist. Whether he was trying to keep her from going after Wufei or truly wanted to hold her was not known, but... sighing contentedly, a little nervous still, Usagi leaned into the strong hold.  
  
"Heero no baka."  
  
"Hn." Refusing the urge to lean down and taste the tantalizing lips once more Heero led the Japanese girl into the food courts quietly ordering her to "Pick something" while the others waited. Ladies first after all.  
  
Giggling happily from his generous prod Usagi hopped up as her namesake, pecked her Soldier Boy on the cheek while letting her arm slide out capturing his hand and dragging them through the massed food area looking for the perfect thing for lunch.  
  
Trowa, Quatre and Wufei watched in amusement at the dusty rose coloring to their usual emotionless friend's cheek, while being led astray through all the different vendors.  
  
Smiling as they followed the small Arabian leaned into his love's side squeezing his waist with a whispered, "I see something they don't see..." teasing the others ears, though knowing that each one of them, all three, could see it. Only truly one person was blind to the fact, or, he wondered... Was anyone blind on it? The look, the action his Japanese friend just showed to them, spoke volumes where his voice never would. Not unless they stepped in to help, he grinned.  
  
"Winner, down boy." Eyeing the bouncing Bunny in front of him, his companion for who was nearly smiling, almost failing to keep his lip muscles turned down in usual scowl... He could tell that something was blossoming between the two Japanese teens; had been since they first saw the two of them together. And if all was to develop as was headed, then it should be left alone. Admittedly, he wasn't against a few prods in such direction himself, but no sneaky planning.  
  
Pouting cutely as they caught up to the two kids eyeing a collection of fried foods Quatre said, "You're no fun Wufei! Can't you see it?"  
  
"Yes Little One, we can, but do not interfere..."  
  
"Listen to your lover Winner" his voice was humored while he ordered his food. Suddenly his ears twitched causing his head to perk up looking around. He could have sworn he just heard...  
  
Trowa seeing his friend's body tense up stopped his movements, "Wufei?"  
  
"What's the matter?" looking between the two boy Quatre frowned, "What's going on?"  
  
"I just-" he stopped hearing it once again. "I heard Maxwell..." and he wasn't alone, was the silent thought. He'd know that annoying onna's voice anywhere. Eyes widening he looked back to where Heero and Usagi were sitting to eat, side by side. "K'so."  
  
"Chang?" Winner's voice was lowered, serious and worried. Wufei only ever cursed when stressed beyond belief, pissed off or overly worried. At the moment he didn't seem to be either, though the cress in his brows contested to his anxious state.  
  
"Maxwell is here."  
  
"Where?" Trowa raised a brow looking around.  
  
Ignoring the question shaking his head Wufei sighed eyeing them both and shrugged. "We're not to worry about them. We need to keep an eye on Heero and Usagi..."  
  
"Why Wufei, what's wrong?" So what, Duo was there, fine and dandy he could kill him now!  
  
"Relena" this from the tall European lad holding his tray. He heard it now, she was here, somewhere within their eyes sight, yet not being found. The young woman who had an unhealthy affection for their silent Wing pilot; this could prove most disastrous.  
  
Blinking rapidity, his little lover shouted, "WHAT!?" Slowly it started to make sense. The order to keep an eye on the other two, Duo's not being there... well maybe not Duo's not being with them, that was still a mystery to him, but he knew the other boy didn't like the Sanq Hime being around his Japanese friend, so would keep her away as best he could but still... why...?  
  
"Come on, let's eat and worry about it when it comes. I'm having fun and refuse to let some crazy onna ruin it."  
  
That was the best-damned thing he'd heard all day! Smiling widely Quatre nodded leading the way to their table and sitting on the other side, leaving Wufei to take the end seat. But the Chinese didn't take the end seat. Instead he placed his plate down offering his hand to the golden haired girl, "Usagi-chan, may I have a word with you please?" Heero arched a brow in question along with Usagi but Wufei simply smiled shaking his head slightly nodded towards the other two.  
  
Wondering what was so important to tear her away from her beloved food among other things... a wide grin turned rose lips as she flashed Heero a smile before taking the offered arm and leaving a few feet away, out of ear shot to speak with the other. It wasn't what she thought it was about, which was truly nothing, for she didn't think anything would come up that needed to be said besides that they were all having fun, but she nodded in understanding, thanked him and sat back down smiling wider then normal if that was at all possible.  
  
Shooting her secret love another brilliant smile she dug in with a vengeance. Today was turning out to be an interesting and hilarious day!  
  
  
  
.  
  
~ * @ * ~  
  
'  
  
"I know who likes Makoto... I know who likes Makoto..." the singsong voice cut through the air happily causing the others around the singing one to giggle, some glared. The hyper girl had been going on about this since they left after finding Relena and had yet to stop.  
  
"Minako-chan... Cousin or not, Usagi can dislike me all she likes, but I'm going to kill you if you don't *stop* saying that!" To her it was pretty damned obvious who liked her and who she liked she didn't need the other broadcasting it to the other nations! Personally, she wouldn't mind who knew, honestly, but hearing it over and over again for the past hour was seriously getting on her ever-loving last nerve.  
  
"Cousin?"  
  
Smiling Minako bounced around nodding quickly, "Ya betcha! Can't ya tell!?" tipping her head to the side and smiled her most endearing 'natural' smile, not her hyper active one. "See?"  
  
It took a minute, but then a pair of darker blues settled over the other girl's sky blue, a pair of lighter colored hair in odango's was semi-imposed upon her head. "Usagi" he breathed wondering why he never saw it before, "Your Usa-chan's cousin?" No wonder he'd been wondering who she reminded him of!  
  
"YUP!" proudly bowing with a giggle Minako straighten smirking, "Cousins by birth, sisters by heart!"  
  
"Then again, we're all sister really, just they seem to look the most alike." Ami's quiet voice piped up from the other side of the conversing kids.  
  
"Sisters?" he was starting to get confused now...  
  
"Mm-hmm..." nodding as she stepped a bit closer, "We're all like sisters. Usagi-chan's the one that found each of us, befriended us, taught us what true friends were all about."  
  
Rei smiled shooting a look to the three new people beside her, "Usagi-chan met us all in middle school, we've been the besst of friends since then. We're more like sisters the way we fight and carry on. No one can break us apart though and we watch out for the other's back. If anything were to happen to us... *anything*... you would have the other four to deal with. It' a promise that's never had to of been said, but has been carried out many times. No one hurts one of us and gets away with it."  
  
This time Makoto nodded seriously, "Yea, especially Usagi. She's like our younger sister, though we're all the same age really. You don't mess with her, or you mess with us. We protect her the most, care and love her the most. But for all our friends we're protective." Looking around making sure she had everyone's attention she nodded and went on, "Usagi's been through a lot in her life and we take it to heart to make sure nothing else happens to her. So if you've got something in mind, you better just forget it." She held no doubt the people around her would do anything, but her last comment was directed at a dirty haired blonde headed girl whose eyes held a calculating look to them. They'd have to keep an eye on her.  
  
"Hey" holding his hands up in self defense Duo smiled, eyes just as serious, "Me n' the guys would *never* hurt Usagi-chan... or any of y'all, we ain't like that!"  
  
"We know" Rei gave him a grateful smile trying to calm him before he got started, "I can sense you all have nothing less then honorable intentions towards our H-Usa-chan... and would do anything to protect her as well."  
  
"Damn straight!" the girls laughed at him tugging their human chain off in another direction. They were heading for the Twisting Shooter. Whose whole point was to sit in rows of four, wait 'til the ride shot off in a countless number of swirling motions then stopping. It was probably the shortest ride right next to Grease Lightening, but unlike with Grease Lightening... most people got whiplash at the quickness this ride stopped at.  
  
It was as they entered the area for the ride that things started to get interesting.  
  
Walking through the Camelot Square in the medieval portion or the park Rei let her fiery violet eyes take in everything. Like her Hime, she had known - they all had - that this park was here for years, but had never stopped by. Now she regretted that fact. Yet even so, she knew now they would be coming here more often, every chance school and Senshi business let them.  
  
Passing the merry-go-round and on towards the ride she let her eyes glance to a tall group of people milling around one of the smaller rides for kids and smiled. It was adorable, the faces of children having fun. So watching the children as she was, was not prepared for the hand that shoved her from the way into the people standing next to her, causing them to crash into one another, or the shout of "MILLIE YOUR DEAD!" that came with the shove.  
  
She did know however that she was upset. There was no cause for pushing her from the way; the person could have easily walked around her. Instead she was pushed into Makoto and Duo, causing them to come within nose to nose of each other... Rei found delight over her ire at the blush staining the two teens faces before turning her searching orbs once more to find the culprit of the rude shove.  
  
What she found was amusing to say the least.  
  
Noin, the lady in which Duo introduced to them an hour back; a person she found quite right of mind and grown up in her twenty-three years... was currently leaning up snagging one pale milky tanned ear and dragging a man head taller then she, over towards them... bickering at him quite nicely. Yes, Rei approved of the woman's scolding technique. And to use it on an elegant looking man no less reducing him to look like an overly sorry, sulking child who knew his hand was found in the cookie jar. Chuckling Rei wondered what type of cookie jar his hand was found in.  
  
"Zechs if you ever leave like th-"  
  
"I do apologize Noin, it was not right of me to abandon you as such."  
  
"Damn right mister!" Rei smirked at them both, silently edging closer to hear what was said, "If you didn't want to see your sister that much then you shouldn't have followed her here or agreed to help me with Hilde and her! You *knew* she'd see you!"  
  
"Noin..." the tall flaxen white haired man sighed smiling softly, "I did apologize for that. I'm here now, am I not?"  
  
Though she smiled, Rei heard Noin mutter, "After I dragged you of course!" then another smile, "But I suppose your right Millie... Now come on there are a lot for you to meet!" voice chipper, Rei backed off into her group once more waiting for them to join up.  
  
"Hilde, Duo, Relena" Zechs nodded towards each as he walked over, noticing curiously the other four girls he did not know. Arching his brow at the possessive look in violet eyes for the forest-eyed girl Zechs nodded in Duo's direction once more inquiring politely, "And who are these lovely young ladies?"  
  
"Zechs Merquise, I'd like to introduce you to Kino Makoto" nodding to the girl at his side, "Hino Rei" to the black haired, violet eyed girl by his ladies side, "Aino Minako, cousin to Usagi" he waved towards the blonde, "Final but never last, the ever brilliant Mizuno Ami!"  
  
Bowing Zechs smiled, "It's a pleasure to meet you all. Tell me" he tilted his chin to the side thinkingly, "where did you happen to meet this lone scragglier?"  
  
Snorting disbelief, wide violets shone, "ZECHS!" That was so not cool! Not a way to be talked about, very rude indeed! Yet he smiled through it all. It was nice to see the older man smiling even if he was the butt of his joke. Zechs hadn't had much to smile about since the wars, Duo reflected staring at the man with a calculating gaze. After Treize died it was as if a part of him went with the auburn haired guy. He knew, everyone did, that Zechs and Treize were more then mere comrades in a war. They always would be. Yet now, it was warming to know that his friend was no longer hurting as he had been before... Now he had Noin to keep him company, in more ways then one he noted grinning at the slight blush on said ladies face.  
  
"In the park!" Minako's cherry voice brought him back from his thoughts, "I was reading and he came over to ask if we could hel-mmphh mmph!"  
  
Slapping a hand over the flapping mouth Ami shot a glare in Relena's direction, "Mina-chan... Do be a dear and not let you HAAD get the best of you, ne? I'm sure Usagi would love you releasing something best kept" whispering the last part in the girls ear she stood back and smiled to her friends, "Shall we? The line has moved" not waiting for an answer she grabbed the two nearest hands, Minako and Makoto's, and started off.  
  
"Oookay... that was strange."  
  
"Not really, I think she just has the same problem as you do Hilde." Noin answered in the most serious voice she could at the moment.  
  
"HEY! I'll have you know tha-" she never finished the sentence another's cut her off... again...  
  
"DAMNIT!! GET BACK HERE!!!" Hilde's head, with everyone else's snapped left then right as a black and blue blur passed them up, deep, rough laughter rolling from the figure as they went. "DAMNIT HEE-CHAN!! GET BACK HERE! YOU THINK YOU CAN PINCH MY ASS AND GET AWAY WITH IT!?? YOUR DEAD MISTER!!!" every head snapped back and fourth a second time as a golden haired-bannered girl in red and white flew after the first blurred image.  
  
.  
  
oOo@oOo  
  
Boom Boom Boom,  
  
Yeah I knew right from the start,  
  
This was something new, oh baby!  
  
oOo@oOo@oOo  
  
'  
  
"Usagi?" Rei asked stunned.  
  
"Heero?" Makoto mimicked.  
  
"Pinched her ass?" Duo's astonished voice rang out as more laughter caused them to snap back around watching as three burling teens of various colors and voiced laughter ran by them after the other two who were heading... Hades only knew where with their antics! Smirking for all he was worth noticing it was Trowa, Quatre and Wufei... and that they were all, indeed laughing, he grabbed Makoto's wrist lightly and pulled, "COME ON!"  
  
And the chase was on! They ran around the Twisting Shooter, past the Western Swings, through the racetrack and back towards the carts that ran from one area of the park to the other before stopping. They had lost they're pray. "Damnit!" Minako shouted snickering. Who'd of known they could run that fast?! Now where the hell'd they go to? She looked, but couldn't tell. It wasn't until she glanced a look up wards and cursed that she knew when they had went.  
  
One of the carts were swinging a bit more the normal, crazed laughter sounding the type that her Hime let loose when being tickled floated down to her from it. Ah ha! "Come on! They're heading for the other side of the park!" grabbing a hand she led everyone into the carts house waiting for enough to come by and pick them all up (it took three carts) before giving a lazy air chase for their princess and her chosen attacker. Minako snorted grinning.  
  
She very much approved of this 'Heero' from what she had seen of him from afar. He hadn't done anything misgiving towards her cousin no hime. He'd been gentlemanly in a quiet standoffish sort of way, and truly seemed to care for her, even with trying to hide it. Minako could tell. After all you couldn't hide love from Aphrodite's daughter.  
  
Glancing behind her to the cart there she watched as Relena talked with Noin, Zechs and Ami. Silently she hopped that the girl wouldn't be a problem, she obviously felt *something* for her Hime's intended... well, now intended anyways... She smiled to herself nodding at something Duo and Makoto were saying. They were cute together! Her Hime, her Usagi, was honestly in love, the best you could get, with this silent wild Japanese boy. The way she teased him was too funny for words! She had to admit though... she never knew her Hime had a mischievous streak like she did, forcing that poor Quatre boy to go on the rides like that. Minako would swear he nearly had a heart attack on The Joker.  
  
Slowly their ride was coming to an end. Her cart was currently at the top in the cable ride, giving a wonderful view of the whole park, before it started slowly on it's way down to the other cart house where she could barely make out people exiting. It was no use though, she knew, that her Hime and intended couldn't escape this time! A. Quatre, Trowa and Wufei were in the cart ahead of hers. And B. they were behind them. Too close a set down time that they'd have chance to get away. Besides, they were her Senshi; they always knew where she was.  
  
.  
  
~ * @ * ~  
  
'  
  
"ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! I GIVE!!" she couldn't take it anymore! Just make him stop! Squealing trying to scoot from the strong arms wrapped about her waist tickling her yet again, Usagi couldn't help her laughter. She couldn't help it anyways, she was overly ticklish and his acting like a kid and not a stick in the mud that he had weeks before, was something to relish in. There was a normal boy hiding under that mask, as she knew there had been, and taking a day to the park was all it took for him to come out of hiding.  
  
And what a boy he was!  
  
Could someone ever imaging the "Perfect Soldier" - yes she knew of his bloody past... as being this open and playful? It had been her that smacked him countless times up side the head for goofy and annoy things (mainly his "Hn" comments) then it was he at the food place not so many minutes behind them that as she pasted to place her trash in the bin, he had reached out after someone's muttered something or another and pinched her ass! And he grinned about it... Goddess save her, but the grin was so wolfishly handsome she paused staring at him starry eyed before what he had done finally sank in.  
  
Then, as they say, 'The chase was on!'  
  
And ended in a cable cart box.  
  
"What's the magic word?"  
  
Magic word? You had to be kidding her! He wanted a *magic* word? Good Gods what had she done?! Chuckling, trying to still enough that she could talk she cried out, "Mother! Uncle! Give!" neither had her desired effect.  
  
"Wrong answer" Heero's smile-smirk never faded as he upped his 'attack' on the helpless Bunny.  
  
"Damnit! I'm gonna get you Yuy!" Just as soon as I figure out what the hell your weakness is you just wait and see! Grinning she tried thinking of something that would work... "Uncle! Sam! Sesame! Prince!" Why the hell did that one come to mind? "Space! Damnit Hero!"  
  
He stopped.  
  
That was it? Eyeing him warily. 'Hero' was his secret word? Or was it the combination of the two? 'Space Hero'? Would make sense, still a strange one though. Nevertheless she was happy he had finally stopped tickling her and let her breath. She noted with some sense of relief and happiness that his hold around her waist didn't relinquish.  
  
"Arigatou."  
  
The whisper so faint, she almost didn't catch it. "For what Hee-chan?" she requested from her spot on his lap, watching him carefully. His voice was lower then usual, softer and... and warm... That shouldn't surprise her she knew, his voice since The Joker had been warmer then all the other times that that they were together.  
  
Closing his stormy sea eyes for a moment Heero took a deep breath meeting her sapphire gaze, and said, "For everything" trying to convey all he felt in the single two words, hoping that she would understand. Emotions were still new to him, he wasn't sure on everything that he felt right now. But he knew, he was feeling a complex jumble of emotions that confused him more then he'd like to admit, yet, he knew what the warmest one was, it was love... or so from countless entailing of a blonde haired Arabian, he had come to place that word, 'love', to the warm feeling in his chest. He felt protective as well, he'd do anything to see this girl, young woman beside him safe.  
  
And, above all he supposed, he was thanking her for freeing him.  
  
He had been locked inside an unseen cage for many years, since he was a wee boy of five he could remember nothing but a life of killing and no emotions but for maybe the once in a while annoyance, the triumph of completing his missions and being tired. Those were all he could remember feeling for near thirteen years.  
  
Duo had come along though during the wars and introduced him to new emotions, but they were still a mystery to him. He was still locked in his cage. The thought, once in a while, had crossed his mind that he would forever be locked in the darkened box behind all the other memories, the nightmares that would haunt him. He wondered why being around his friends hadn't let him come out at all. They knew so much more then he did, could teach him about his emotions... But yet he'd been around them for near four years now and he was still locked in his cage.  
  
It wasn't until he met the overly lively Bunny that his world started to be painted in color. Whatever she possessed was slowly unlocking his cage, letting color filter in where there had only been black, white and gray. Maybe it was her innocence, her way of noticing even the smallest of things to point out to him, which was able to unlock his cage... his heart... Whatever it was about the small blonde, he loved it... loved her... And it scared him. The ex-Perfect Soldier who had never been scared a day in his life he could remember... scared of one small whip of a girl...  
  
But that small whip of a girl had unknowingly given him his heart back, before she took it away again and gave him hers. He was scared what she would do with his heart. He'd never had it before, knew it to be a fragile thing with times of none usage... it could crumble easily, he knew. Yet... yet he wasn't afraid of holding her heart. He was... uneased, by it having been given so easily, but he was not afraid of doing any wrong to it, because he knew he could not, would not ever, hurt this girl before him. Like she would not him. It was a silent promise neither had to mention. They just... knew.  
  
.  
  
oOo@oOo  
  
Hammer to the heart...  
  
Boom Boom  
  
Hammer to the heart...  
  
oOo@oOo@oOo  
  
'  
  
Blinking cutely, split second wondering why he was thanking her, Usagi smiled her best for him. She knew. She could only be the stupidest person in the Universe if she did not know.  
  
How could one person go through so much change in under a few mere weeks and have another not know why?  
  
It was her that much was true. She had started a change within the stoic, which was greatly over due to happen. There had been someone under that mask, that lone wolf façade of his that called out to be let free. Someone much great lied beneath waiting to be let out, but lacked a will and way to do so.  
  
Tsukino Usagi was that way... Yuy Heero had the will.  
  
She had watched, since bumping into the boy in the park, since talking with Motoki in the arcade. She had watched, learned the way he acted, the way he moved... there was just something about him that called to her, called to help him. She answered that call and could not have been more pleased with the out come of it. Even if... if loving him, was not in her plan of helping him. She was her mothers daughter and one never questioned why one fell in love, or with whom they fell with... they simply accepted and loved it with all they were.  
  
Love was a gift no matter what form it was in. It was something to he cherished, nurtured, helped to grow.  
  
Heero had never known love. Usagi knew that now. The way his eyes would go misty with thought as couples passed, the way his muscles bunched at the most innocent of touches... He had never had someone to be close to besides his friends from the wars. But that was brotherly love; all good and well, but not what he needed most. Heero needed someone to show him what living was worth, why he should, what was out there and best yet... What could happen if he did live a little.  
  
Well, her Heero was living now! She had seen a side of him no one had ever even guessed lied beneath his cold mask of indifference. He was a child under that mask, enjoying life for the first time without fear of dying the next day. Without fear of worrying if he did something wrong it could cost the lives of thousands. His only fear now, she knew, was how to act, what was proper around her and others? He still had some things to learn about being a 'kid' again. He had been forced to fight a grown mans war... been forced to grow up long before his time... Now, now he was being asked to reverse that process and be a kid again.  
  
Live, learn, love, play! Enjoy life with all he was... and she, Usagi was going to be there for him through it all and then afterwards. They all would be now. Quatre, Trowa, Wufei, Duo, Makoto, Ami, Minako and Rei... they were all his friends, they wouldn't let anything happen to the special boy beside her. He was new to all this, they'd protect him 'til he got a handle on it all himself. Emotions could be as strong as storms. He'd need someone to talk to at times, someone to explain what was happening to him, what he felt... and the others... He just needed to kid around with and be a stupid goofy kid again!  
  
They were all his friends. They all loved him and as he did to them, they would protect him.  
  
"Heero..." whispering quiet to him his name, Usagi never noticed the distance growing less between them, she wouldn't have minded at all. Sitting on his lap, his strong arms around her slim waist, is all she ever cared about at the moment. She never wanted to give it up. To give him up. She would fight tooth and nail to keep him if that's what it took but now... now they were together, that's all that really mattered...  
  
Watching her closely as she moved, Heero tightened his hold on the smaller girl; brining their bodies a bit closer, "Usa..." he knew what was to come. Welcomed and anticipated it... there was a warm tightening in his gut, a feeling he had been told was like that of 'butterflies'... something that happened when you were excited and a bit scared at the same. He didn't believe them at first, of course, the Perfect Soldier was never scared... but that was then and this is now... Something so new to him, he didn't wish to 'screw it up' as Duo loved to quote.  
  
Minute later there was no space between them left as soft giving lips met tender firm ones in a soft timid kiss. They had, at one time, kissed before but it was unintentional, awkward and unease. This time, each heart cried for the action, needed, yarned, for the contact. They took it slow, exploring together what they both had wanted for some time yet neither having the courage or guts to attempt it.  
  
They'd probably laugh at one another if ever the thought crossed love's haze in their minds... two soldiers of different backgrounds without the courage or guts to lean in and give a simple kiss. Yet it wasn't that simple a kiss... it was tender, exploring, innocent at first, like each getting to know the other... then like the passing of time that they had grown steadily closer, the kiss turned more demanding, passionate, forgetting all that were around them until...  
  
Clank ting! The metal snapping of cart support hitting against the houses cable supports, "WOO HOO! GO HEERO! DIDN'T KNOW YA HAD IT IN YA USA!!" and suddenly embarrassingly loud yelling from a certain Chinese and Arabian pilots, jarred them from their sweet bliss. Quatre would later claim they blushed four shades of red. Hurriedly they left the cart and found a shady tree to sit under, hoping against hope the blush would dim and friends would not give them a hard time, but... glancing up Usagi noticed not only had their group arrived... But a new and surprisingly larger group had followed them. When had the girls gotten there?  
  
.  
  
oOo@oOo  
  
Boom Boom  
  
Hammer to the heart...  
  
oOo@oOo@oOo  
  
'  
  
Got 'em! There was no way that Minako (and she noted Quatre and Wufei) were going to let either person in that kiss live it down! She didn't think her Hime had it in her to make a move like that! Granted, she conceded, Heero also moved, but it was mainly Usagi's head moving in for the kill!  
  
"Usagi! Usagi! Usagi!" Minako and Makoto chanted together anxiously wanting to get out of the bloody cart and run hugging their princess. Turning sharply they stabbed Duo with a Double Happy Glare, "Can't this go any faster!?" then turned back to the front eying the boys climbing out of their own cart and heading over to their friends.  
  
"Come on already! This thing should have a speed switch in it!"  
  
Duo laughed, "Why so you could run over those in front of ya?"  
  
"Well, dang it! They could speed up to!" much to her amusement, Duo only smirked chuckling at her, but his smile was the best! Giving him her own, she went back to chattering quickly with Minako over what they'd all do once they hit ground besides crushing their blonde bunny in a hug.  
  
It wasn't decided, after everyone, three carts worth, hit rock solid ground, all the girls extracted headed like one body towards a standing startled bunny looking for ways to escape. Her eyes widened looking to Heero, who only smiled shrugging a bit, before back to the charging bodies.  
  
"Usagi!"  
  
"Usa-chan!"  
  
"Bunny!" as they ran, no one knew who did it. No one wanted to know and could only hope no one else thought anything of it as they collided with the poor small golden haired girl, burying her under the four bodies with a loud, "HIME!" followed with lots of quick chatter, laughter and smiles. Needless to say, Usagi was begging for air, smiling wider then she had in a little while at them all. It was wonderful to be together again!  
  
"Duo! Where've you been young man? Don't make me send Heero over there to find out!" smirking walked over to the lean muscle bound Japanese and gave a tiny push as threat.  
  
Snickering Quatre hid behind his koibito for protection from the golden Bunny, "Yeah... don't wanna know about her 'violent tendencies'." He laughed grinning of all the confused faces before him.  
  
"'Violent tendencies'? Bunny, you don't have violent tendencies. Not towards us."  
  
"Maybe not, but better watch it Maxwell. She used them on Quatre earlier" the smirking Chinese commented.  
  
"YUP!" He was happy to admit it! Because, he still planned to use his threat against them both.  
  
Somewhere in the back a snide, mocking voice came, "You don't look like you'd hurt a fly."  
  
At the voice, near everyone tensed. Could they not be nice for a moment when threatened? Why was there need to prove something none cared about? There was no ownership, nothing tying them together and yet they still decided on the backwards approach to something...  
  
"Usagi-chan..." his voice tight, controlled to keep what he truly felt out of it, his mission for keeping the others away failed, "Meet" no need to say 'like you to meet' for he didn't, "Re-"  
  
"Relena Peacecraft. Formally Relena Dorlin and lastly known as "Queen of the World"... I'd say it's a pleasure, Peacecraft-san, but I would be lying if I did. Fortunately, however you look at it, like Duo-kun here, I don't lie."  
  
Flabbergasted of being mocked, not even getting a proper introduction, Relena stepped forward, straining to keep her face as polite as she could. She was going to be nice, the line just slipped out (or so she told herself). "How do you kno-"  
  
"Know you? Who wouldn't know you?" Usagi questioned back while leaning into Heero's hold, who had moved behind her wrapping his arms protectively around her waist, her four guards moving to flank them as had the ex-pilots in a second line. "Your face has been on the news for nearly a year Peacecraft-san, everyone knows you. While I command you on handling the wars, I have to say that I do not condone your manners as Princess of this kingdom."  
  
To shocked to speak, Relena could only blink.  
  
Smiling kindly Usagi reached out her free hand, the other resting on Heero's arms, to the others gathered, "Lucrezia Noin, Hilde Schbeiker" shaking each woman's hand as they stepped forward, "It's a pleasure meet both of you. You did exceptionally well aiding my boys to bring peace to us all."  
  
Nodding numbly, slightly confused, neither Noin nor Hilde had time to question how this small girl knew what they did during the war. Both assumed for the time being, that the ex-pilots had mentioned their time there, what they had done and helped with. It didn't matter however, each liked the small blonde woman. Anyone that could tell off the Princess of the place in which she lived (as they knew), and do it with the dignity as she had, was a person of much respect in their book.  
  
Zechs watched with a narrowed eye. He didn't know what it was about the small blonde woman being hugging possessively by the ex-Wing pilot, but she knew more... much more... then she was letting on about what they have all been through, what they all do, then she was telling. Still, he could not bring himself to be anything less then his normal polite self to her. He smiled a little; she did, after all, put his sister in her place.  
  
He watched as she stretched her hand out once more, a warmer smile on her face then perhaps the ones she had given to Noin and Hilde. "Hello Milliardo-sama" nodding her head a little. Zechs' eyes widened just the slightest as he walked forward taking her hand, "Or would you prefer me call you Zechs Merquise? Neither however, hide your royal birth, friend." She indeed, knew much more then she was letting on.  
  
Bowing with a smile, "Zechs please, Usagi-san."  
  
"In that case" Usagi smiled wider bouncing a bit in Heero's embrace, "Call me Usagi-chan like everyone else! It's a pleasure to meet you of most Zechs. You've been a great help to you country and my friends here." Nodding towards the five young men behind her, currently casting her confused stares. "You've taught them much even if they're stubborn enough not to admit it. I only wish" a distasteful look towards his sister, "You could have taught Peac-" she stopped herself realizing something of the name-deserved respect, to one that deserved it. Until Relena could act normal, like a princess was supposed to do, she would not call her that. If it had not been for her brother's denouncing the throne, she would all him in such a manner.  
  
"Relena-san better manners. Admittedly, it is not upon you to do so." Her smile never wavered as she bowed her head to the tall flaxen haired man respectfully, lightened by his small humored smile. She turned towards Relena. "You my dear, need to act according the title you were born into." Having had this churning in her mind since speaking with Wufei she was glad to finally let it out. From what the other had enlightened her to, what she had witnessed during the wars, the speech was much over due.  
  
"The manners you possessed before the wars starting was very much the appropriate ones to display in your life as a Dorlin. I am sory of your adoptive fathers passing and the passing of you from Dorlin to Peacecraft" bowing her head a small notch to show her sorrow over it. "Your attitude should not have changed as it had when you picked up the honored Peacecraft name, Relena-san."  
  
Wufei's ears perked on the last line, smirking he nodded his head in approval.  
  
"What right do yo-"  
  
"Trust me dear girl" to the others around her, Usagi's voice became one of endless age, of soft commanding, so much knowledge shone behind her eyes. "I have right, and know better then anyone." Maybe she shouldn't have said that? "Anyone rightfully can tell you advice if it would help to better yourself. It is within you to take that advice and put it to use. Your attitude of chasing Heero Yuy" making sure to say his name, not a prefix used to say he is owned or belonged to anyone but himself, "and his companions around the field of battle was most unbecoming of a lady and leader."  
  
Tapping the arms around her waist, giving a smile, Usagi moved forward where Relena stood, head bowed, shoulders slumped. Usagi knew what was going through the others mind. Most likely the same thing that went through hers a little time after she had become Sailor Moon and learned of her place as Queen over all in the many years to come. She didn't mean to cause the other pain, like she had, but Relena needed to know how she was acting as not right.  
  
Stepping up to her, she flashed the others a bright smile motioning them to stay where they were while she led the other off out of earshot. They returned a few minutes later, each smiling and giggling a little. They noticed the others confused looks and smiled more. Winking to the large group and one in particular, Usagi walked Relena up to them prodding her in the back towards the one boy she respected, "Go on" whispered another wink.  
  
Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves the look Heero was giving her stirred, she walked slowly towards him, hesitated a bit before lunging towards him quick enough he couldn't escape her. She hung there lightly, arms tightening just a bit before she whispered, "I'm sorry Heero." It was a moment, maybe two, before she felt his arms raise awkwardly to embrace her back. Relena smiled, imagining his looking over towards Usagi questioningly, her giving him a smile and nod. She was grateful though and drew back away, locking eyes with his, "I really am..."  
  
Heero watched her minutely, then nodded, a small smile of his own in return as Usagi came to them locking an arm around both their waists, "I believe you" his voice just as quiet.  
  
"Arigatou."  
  
"SO!" Laughing as she startled the two and all around her, leaning up to peck Heero on the cheek Usagi looked at all around her, her friends old and new, then to the girl by her side, for whom they'd all learn to know a new, "What're we gonna do now?! We've got half the day with us!"  
  
One small question so many voices! Relena joined the golden Bunny in laugh as the three linked, made their way off in some direction that they barely knew as there being a ride down there someone had yelled out a wanting to ride. Obviously, there was no voting in rides now; it was whichever Heero, Usagi and Relena decided to try out.  
  
The others did not mind at all. Something new was happening to their rather large group and all were for naught on stopping it.  
  
And none wanted to.  
  
.  
  
oOo@oOo  
  
Boom boom  
  
Hammer to the heart...  
  
oOo@oOo@oOo  
  
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~ * ^ - ^ * ~ * ^ - ^ * ~ * ^ - ^ * ~  
  
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Holy hell I'm DONE!? Wow, talk about a merical and it IS the end of the week! I beat myself on the outdate for this one! Granted I said I was shooting for the end of the week, but hell, better early then never! Gods.. ::bounces off the walls:: I can't believe I've finally finished this sucker!! ::beams::  
  
And Gods help me... I've already got slight plans for the sequel, but don't even let me say anything for when the first chapter will be out 'cause with my other GW/SM and SM/DBZ ones needing to be worked on... Let ALONE, the Gundam Wing ones that are attacking me... I have no honestly to God clue when it'll actually be started, but I do have small ideas for it.  
  
If *you've* got any ideas, something you'd like to see in the sequel, then *please* let me know. I will give credit for the ideas if they're used. But since it'll most likely be a while before it's out. Dish out some ideas you'd like to see happen. I've got a while to think on it so. ya know. heh Arigatou gozamasu for everyone that stuck with me on this story!! I know it's been a pain in the aurse waiting on my updated, and again, I'm extreamly sorry for that. But I'm also extreamly gretful to those that stuck with me through it. And to those that just found and reviewed it. Your reviews really mean a lot to me, and I'm not just saying that.  
  
Welps, Arigatou again minna-chan! I greatly thank ya for reading and reviewing and hope that when the sequel comes out, y'aller like it as well. Until then, I hope maybe some of my other stories can be of service to your reading craze and until we meet up again! Have a great time out there!! ^_^ Take it easy gang!  
  
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Arigatou & Ja matte!  
  
~ Anime Redneck ^_^ 


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